Hero 108: A New Beginning
by Dogs of Wonderland
Summary: Ever wonder what would happen if High Roller came out victorious? Well, this is a story that will involve that. Big Green is no more, the heroes have separated, and most of the animals are under High Roller's control. Only a handful of animals stay loyal. Will the new heroes of Big Green save Hidden Kingdom?
1. Prolouge

At one time, Big Green was once the only source of peace. Their goal was to join the human and animal kingdoms to make a unified society in the Hidden Kingdom. High Roller seeked chaos and total control over this land. Unfortunately, he succeeded. Now, High Roller rules over all of Hidden Kingdom. Most of the animal kingdoms rejoined him, while a handful stayed loyal to the once powerful Big Green. The once skilled heroes were quickly defeated. Big Green base is nothing but in ruin. Showing some mercy, High Roller allowed the former heroes of Big Green to live out their lives under his rule. However, he demanded that no form of retalliation should be performed against him. With the promises kept, and their old home destroyed, the remaining members of Big Green seperated and began their lives in the new world. A world, without peace.

Several years have past since the day High Roller took over. The humans that live within Hidden Kingdom only know one emotion; fear. The animal kings and queens that stayed loyal to High Roller punish and torture the humans regularly. Some show some kindness by putting the humans in fear without action. Others torment them greatly to where death is the only form of relief. The animal kings and queens that stayed loyal to Big Green and treat humans with respect, are watched over carefully by the neiboring kingdoms. Although the land was filled with a constant state of fear, the former heroes were able to start a new life. A second generation was born from the former heroes. Stories were told by the defeated heroes to their children about what Hidden Kingdom was once like. Although the stories were filled with joy and safety, they were only stories.

One day, however, was a day of sadness for this second generation. High Roller may have defeated Big Green, he did not forget about the heroes that stood in his way; the members of First Squad. He knew that eventually the heroes could reform and return Hidden Kingdom to its former glory. Under command of High Roller, the animal kings and queens searched and captured the members. The once proud and noble fighters were then turned into slaves. High Roller, content on his actions, threw the idea of peace returning out of his mind forever.

But, High Roller did not count on one thing. The new generation of heroes, created by the heroes and animals that were once a part of Big Green, now stand against him. Will the second generation come out victorious, or will High Roller defeat them as well? Only time will tell.

This...is Hero 108: A New Beginning


	2. Origins

A man and a child walked across an open. Some of the trees were small stumps, indicating that they were once there. He wore a black robe with pants to match. His long gray hair was covered by this strange hat and only his sideburns and beard showed through. As he walked, he held a long gray staff with a red diamond on the end. Walking beside him was a little girl. Her hair was slightly short and gray. Her outfit consisted of a black shirt with all black pants. In her hands was her own staff, but this one was only all gray. She looked up at her father, "Father, did I train well today?"

"You did very well Liliac" the man said while rubbing her head. "I believe that you…"

His speech was cut short when shadows began to circle them from above. They both looked up, seeing about four Eagles. Liliac looked to her father, "What do you think they want?"

The man grabbed his staff, "It's nothing good." A few more Eagles filled the skies and some of them dived towards the two. The man spun his staff and then fired several white bullets from it. Several of the Eagles fell but more began to come. The father and daughter ran towards a small village in front of them. The humans that were outside quickly noticed the commotion happening out in the desert and turned their attention to the duo. "Everyone, inside now!" shouted the man. Every human ran inside except for one. She wore a white cloak with a head piece that covered her hair. Liliac quickly ran to her side and embraced her legs. The woman looked at the man, "Lin Chung!"

Lin Chung jumped over a couple of Eagles just before they crashed into each other. "Rosefinch, take Liliac inside and barge the doors."

"But father" said Liliac.

"GET INSIDE NOW!"

Liliac and Rosefinch started to run to their house after Lin Chung's orders. As they ran, Lin Chung fired his white bullets at the Eagles to stop them. However, one quickly approached him from behind and dug its talons into his shoulder. Lin Chung grunted in pain while trying to get it off. The Eagle flew off as Lin Chung kneeled on the ground grasping his shoulder. Liliac went inside the house, but she looked through the window, "FATHER!"

* * *

Liliac shot awake in a cold sweat. Her breathing was heavy as she placed her hand on her heart. It was beating faster than her breathing pace. Her eyes looked around the room she was in, it was her bedroom. Her special staff laid against the wall beside her bed. Liliac sighed and brushed her hair out of her eyes. It has been years since her father was taken by the Eagle King and his soldiers. That memory haunted her mind. She was untrained at that age, but now she was highly skilled. Liliac felt guilty that she could have never helped her father when she could. She put her hair up in a ponytail, grabbed her staff, and then walked out of her room. She quickly passed her mom, telling her "I'm just going out for some training." Liliac continued to walk out of her home, then out of her village, and then began to walk towards a castle. Before Liliac could even get in range of the castle, she was tackled by a pink blur. A Cheetah stood above her, her face growling up close to hers. Liliac kicked the Cheetah off of her but the Cheetah landed on the ground easily. She growled some more as Liliac grabbed her staff and returned the glare. The Cheetah, however, turned from growling in anger to laughing in joy.

"I still see you are not good at acting Pink Spec" said Liliac.

Pink Spec walked over, wiped the remaining tears from her eyes and patted Liliac's back, "I'm sorry Liliac, but no one is as calm as you. After all, you do take after your father…"

Liliac's solid expressionless face quickly received an expression, sadness. Pink Spec quickly regretted what she said as Liliac turned and sat on a nearby rock. Pink Spec joined her on the rock as her tail gently wrapped around Liliac, "Listen Liliac, I'm…"

"It's okay Pink Spec" she replied quickly, cutting her off. "I just miss him…" Pink Spec pulled Liliac into a hug as tears were beginning to form in her eyes, "Pink Spec, I had that dream again."

Pink Spec tightened the hug, "Liliac, you're like a sister to me. I am always here for you, no matter what. Your father was a trusted man to my parents, and you are trustworthy to me. Now, you want to stay with us and train a little?" Liliac sniffed her tears up and nodded. Pink Spec stood up and lead Liliac into Cheetah Castle.

* * *

A common human village set out along the outskirts of a far away castle. One human quickly departed her home and ran outside. Her skin was pale while her eyes were blue and her hair black. She wore a gray tank top that had a yellow lightning bolt decal running up her side. A black band surrounded her right wrist, while long black pants and blue shoes covered her legs and feet. She stopped after running a few feet away from her home, "Come on Red Ray! You'll never have fun if you stay inside!"

Another human appeared out of the hole. This human was male, with equally dark black hair but had a deeper tan. He wore a brown full body robe with green vine-like decals and one that ended at a skull on his right side. His eye color was a pale orange but they were also filled with depression. On his head was a strange pink creature with blue eyes and two long hanging arms. This creature was currently the one moving the human, as the boy's feet were not touching the ground. "Misty…" Red Ray said with a heavy sigh, "How can you be so happy?"

"Oh lighten up, you've been depressed for way too long" replied Misty. "Besides, just moping around won't bring mom and dad back. At least you have Yaksha."

Yaksha responded by wrapping her arms around Red Ray in a happy hug. A small smile went onto Red Ray's face. It was very small, almost showing that he never did it at all. Yaksha unwrapped her arms from Red Ray. "Okay then Misty, what do you want to do?" Misty opened her mouth, but Red Ray stopped her, "And no I do not want to get into another fight."

Misty pouted at her brother's words. But, her face suddenly lit up with an idea. "Well then brother, if you do not want to fight animals, could you at least watch them fight?"

Red Ray sighed as he followed his sister and her gleeful charm towards fighting. He still could not understand her will to fight. Only he was Misty's way of stopping her to start a fight. Yaksha extended her arms and walked Red Ray with Misty. They headed towards the neighboring animal castle, Liger Castle. Luckily for Misty and Red Ray, the Ligers were friendly to humans. Yaksha grabbed the outside wall and pulled Red Ray up. Misty climbed the wall and landed on top. A few Ligers were sparring with each other. One seemed to be the King while the other one was much smaller. Misty punched the air as if she was in the fight herself, "Isn't this cool?!"

Red Ray shook his head, "I do not see why you find fighting to be so good. We are simply lucky that the Ligers are somewhat allies. I wonder why they are friendly towards us though…"

Misty swung a large punch that threw her off balance and caused her to fall off the wall she was on. She landed on the ground with a thud, causing the fight to stop. Red Ray quickly panicked as Yaksha stretched her arms down to the ground, gently letting Red Ray on the ground. Liger King walked over chuckling, "Well well well, if it isn't the feisty fists herself. What brings you here?"

"We were…uh…just trying to…" stammered Red Ray.

"My brother doesn't want me to fight that much anymore, so I'm just here to watch" replied Misty.

Liger King laughed while roughly patting Misty's and Red Ray's backs, "You know you two are welcome here anytime! Your parents and I were such good friends years ago." Liger King walked to the group, "Now since we have that interruption taken care of, let the tournament commecnce!" The remaining Ligers roared in cheers and Misty screamed in excitement. Red Ray sighed and looked up at Yaksha, "When do you think this tournament will be over?" Yaksha shook her head and shrugged her arms in confusion. Red Ray sighed again, "That's what I was afraid of…"

* * *

On a foggy mountain top laid a castle. The castle was surrounded by large carrots. Inside the castle, several rabbits were practicing their jump roping skills. Several of them were very good, while others were doing decent. One rabbit was watching them all. She was all white with black ears with markings. She nodded at them all in confirmation. However, her gaze went with the other rabbits to a very small rabbit near the back. Her fur was gray with a few black markings on her fur as well as a black tail. Her ears were white with gray markings. Her eyes were all black with red irises. The reason everyone was staring at her was because she was the only one with no jump rope in her paws. She just looked down at it in slight fear.

"Raya" said the rabbit on the throne. "Aren't you going to jump rope?"

The small rabbit quivered in fear, "Mommy…can't…do it…"

"At least try sweetie…"

Raya grabbed the rope with shaking paws. She began to twirl it around her, but she lost her grip and the rope spun around her instead. Several of the rabbits around her started to laugh. Raya's eyes began to water as she quickly hopped out of the door. The night sky had many stars and a full moon. The jump rope was quickly thrown to the ground as her large ears covered her tear filled eyes. A shadow cast over her as the rabbit on the throne approached. Raya quickly turned and hugged her, "Mommy…Raya worthless!"

"No Raya, do not say that about yourself" the rabbit said. "You are not worthless."

Raya's eyes were still filled with tears as she looked up at her mother, "But Mommy…Raya bad…you Queen…Raya princess…Raya should be better…"

Rabbit Queen hugged Raya, "Raya, you are special to me. Your father believed in you too. It does not matter how good you are with our customs, you will always be my special little bunny."

Raya looked up at her mother again with a great smile, "Thank you mommy!" The pair of rabbits hugged underneath the bright moonlight. Raya was always a sweet and sensitive rabbit. Her father was taken when she was very young, causing her training to suddenly stop. With no rabbit to train her, Raya would stay as the small and unskilled bunny that everyone in Rabbit Castle knew. With the sad moment gone, Raya and Rabbit Queen hopped back inside Rabbit Castle to get to bed.

* * *

Within the middle of the forest lied a castle. The castle was very tall with large stain glass windows. At the very top of it was a statue of a parrot. A lone figure flew down from the starry skies and landed near the entrance. Parrot King was resting on his snail reading. He sensed someone behind him and quickly turned. Behind him was an eagle with blue and purple feathers. Her wings were decorated with these white triangles and were edged with a silver blade with black markings. Her eyes were yellow with markings around them and a golden necklace hung around her neck. Parrot King sighed, "Oh, Princess Maya. What do I owe this late visit? Have you come to have a late night language lesson? Braach!"

Princess Maya shook her head, "No Parrot King, I need to tell you something."

Parrot King flew off of the snail and landed on a perch beside her, "And what would that be my dear?"

"Remember when I said my father demanded that I should learn human language?" Parrot King nodded as Maya continued, "Well…I lied…" Parrot King squawked in shock as Princess Maya hung her head and turned away from him. "I couldn't let either you or my father to learn the truth" she continued. "My father would never let me learn human, and I knew you would never teach me unless you knew you were ordered to."

Parrot King rubbed her back with his wing, "Princess, I know that your father is the advisor of our castle under High Roller, but I am willing to teach any animal that comes with interest. Braach! But if your father does not want you to learn, why did you want to learn the language of the humans?"

Princess Maya sighed, "Unlike my father and the other Eagles, I would like to see humans. I do not find them as a threat, I find them interesting. But I have never met one, and if I did I would never be able to communicate. So I thought if I could learn the language without my father knowing, I thought I could meet a human and learn from them."

Parrot King chuckled to himself, "Aw Maya, there is no shame behind your reasons. Braach! If only your father was as interested as you are. He would have been a great addition to the humans."

Maya looked at Parrot King, "What do you mean would have?"

Parrot King flew off the perch and back onto his snail. "Braach! Have you ever heard the stories of Big Green?" Princess Maya walked closer as she shook her head. "Well then, rest your feathers and I will tell you." Almost like a small child, Princess Maya's beak formed into a smile as she rested against the ground. "Now, Big Green was once as powerful as High Roller several years ago" started Parrot King. "Now, High Roller lied to the animals saying that humans wanted war. The animals then began to capture and torment the humans near their castles. I too once punished the humans. But, that was before Commander Ape Truly visited here."

"Commander…Ape Truly…?" asked Maya.

"He was the leader of Big Green. Every day he set out to the animal castles to make an attempt at peace between them and humans. He convinced me that what I was doing was wrong, and I sided with the humans. I taught the other animals that joined Big Green how to speak human. All was well, at least until that day…"

"What happened Parrot King?"

"High Roller suddenly attacked with great power. No one at Big Green knew how he received this power. But he and his powerful animal armies attacked Big Green, destroying the base. The heroes that usually helped their leader in making peace were shown mercy and they lived on. At least, they lived for a while."

"What did High Roller do?"

"Well, after his victory, most of the animal kingdoms rejoined High Roller's side. I was one of the few that decided to treat humans with kindness. That is why your father watches over me. Anyways, it was only a few years ago when High Roller commanded some of his animal kings and queens to capture the once biggest threat to his plans, First Squad. Your father was one of these animals. The members of First Squad are now slaves to High Roller. Even I do not know if they are alive, nor do I know if they ever had a family."

Princess Maya gasped at the mentioning of this. She never knew that High Roller would be the cause of such evil. However, she gracefully got up, "Thank you for listening Parrot King."

"Oh dear Princess, Braach! The pleasure was all mine" he said. "I have never told the story of Big Green to anyone in a while. It was a good time to discuss an old happy memory. Give Eagle King my regards, Braach!"

Princess Maya nodded and took off into the skies. She flew back to her castle, her home. However, she could not get the thought of the captured humans out of her head. What would High Roller do to them? And what if they did have a family? Princess Maya could not wait till she got more freedom, that way she could meet some humans and settle what needs to be done.


	3. Liliac's Discovery

Liliac and Pink Spec were training within the walls of Cheetah Castle. Pink Spec stayed from a distance, using her tail as a launcher for her spots. Liliac blocked them easily by twirling her staff. "Pink Spec, you can't always fight your opponents from a distance" said Liliac. "Why won't you get closer?"

The spots that were fired returned to Pink Spec's tail and placed themselves where they originally were, "And risk getting hit with those hidden blades of yours? No thank you!"

Liliac smiled as two hidden blades shot out from each end of her staff. She twirled it in the air, the blades creating a different sound as they rushed through the air. Liliac charged towards Pink Speck, but in a pink blur her cheetah friend was now behind her. Before Liliac charged again, Pink Spec stood up and turned to the windows. Liliac stopped as well, quickly ran towards the windows, threw her staff down, and then sat on top of it. She glanced out the window, only seeing Cheetah King and Cheetah Queen.

"I know she causes more trouble for us" said Cheetah Queen, "But she's been our daughter's friend for years. And if not that, she's also Lin Chung's daughter. You know how many times he came to our aid."

"Yes dear, I am aware of that" said Cheetah King. "Lin Chung was a noble warrior; it is a shame that he is now a slave in East Citadel. The only thing I am trying to say is the more she stays around, the more trouble from the neighboring castles we get."

"You know we will always treat humans the same as animals, so what difference would it make with one human?"

Cheetah King sighed and Cheetah Queen gently put her arms around him. Liliac hopped off of her staff and turned to face her friend. "Did you hear that?!" she asked.

"Yeah, I can't believe my parents" Pink Spec replied. "They think having just you around would cause more trouble."

"No, not that, I know where my father is! I can go rescue him now!"

Liliac turned to run out the door, but she was stopped as Pink Spec quickly grabbed her. Pink Spec walked into her view, "Whoa there Liliac. Do you even know how hard it will be to get someone out of High Roller's prison? Now, as your friend, I must say that you are NUTS!"

"Pink Spec, I am going to rescue my father. It is my fault that he was even taken. I failed to defend him when he needed it most. So, I will do everything in my power to save him. Nothing will stop me, even if I have to fight you to do it!"

Liliac stood in a defensive stance, holding her staff to be used at any time. Pink Spec sighed and shook her head, "Girl, you have some guts. Alright, as your friend, I will help you." Liliac smiled as Pink Spec grabbed her and gave her a noogie, "You're like my sister, and I would do anything for you." The pair quickly left out a back window. Liliac hopped onto Pink Spec as she ran off with great speed.

* * *

East Citadel rose in all of its terror. Pink Spec and Liliac had to be careful maneuvering through the empire. Several animals were inside the castle, doing many different tasks. Pink Spec's speed allowed them to dart between buildings and the shadows easily. Liliac was grateful to have a friend like her, otherwise she would never get past the guards. "Alright, where do you think they are keeping him?" asked Pink Spec while hiding in the shadows.

Liliac quickly placed her hand over her friend's mouth. Walking beside the buildings was a man wearing a blue outfit. His eyes were funny as well as his hat. It took more of Liliac's hand to keep Pink Spec from laughing. He approached two Bears guarding a door, "Guards, make way. I need to speak with a certain hero of First Squad." Both Liliac and Pink Spec looked at each other when he said that. That man must have been High Roller. The Bears parted for the High Roller but they quickly returned when he entered. "What do we do now?" asked Pink Spec. Liliac looked around the ally, hoping to find some idea. Then, she took notice of Pink Spec's really long tail and the many spots on it. A smile formed on her face.

The two Bears guarding the door seemed to be in a trance, they never even moved. Then, a random black spot fell in front of them. The two Bears looked at the spot, but then noticed a trail of them. The Bears looked at each other before following the trail. Once they went down the alley, Pink Spec and Liliac landed on the ground. The spots that were off of her tail soon returned to her. "Don't worry, it's so dark in that alley that those bears will be following it to the end" said Pink Spec. Liliac smiled as they ran into the hall. Before they could continue, they saw the shadow of High Roller approaching. Liliac quickly looked around, looking for a place to hide.

High Roller laughed as he walked down the corridor. "I still can't believe he's still alive" he said. "No human should be able to survive that punishment for so long."

As High Roller walked down, a pink spotted tail dropped down from above. High Roller stopped, but the tail quickly receded back to the ceiling. High Roller turned around, seeing nothing he shrugged it off and left. Near the ceiling was Liliac and Pink Spec, feet against the walls and hands together. Liliac fell on her feet but Pink Spec landed on her belly with a thud. Liliac quickly ran down the hallway but suddenly stopped. Pink Spec walked behind her, noticing the view. The hallway had several cells across from each other, and there was an armored cell at the end of the hall. The floor and walls were filthy, the light barely illuminating the hall. They slowly began to walk through the hall, looking at each cell. The first few were empty, but then Pink Spec gasped at one. Liliac walked over to see who or what was in the cell.

Inside the cell, chained to the wall, was a Rabbit. His fur was white but patches were missing and it was smudged with dirt. His ears were drooping to the sides, being too weak to even prop them up. His eyes were closed, and his breathing seemed weak. "Oh my…it's Rabbit King!" exclaimed Pink Spec.

"…Hello…?" asked a voice. The pair walked over to the next cell. Inside that cell was a woman with black hair and blue eyes. She wore a rag-stitched dress which was covered in filth. She saw the two, "…Who are you two…"

"You better not hurt her!" shouted a deep voice. A small clang of metal and chittering caught Pink Spec off guard. In a small cage held a small pink creature with its arms tied together. Liliac walked over to the cell across from the woman. Inside was a man with black hair. He wore a red vest but it seemed torn and worn out. He had no eyes; either that or they were closed. "I may not have my eyes, but that doesn't mean I can't still fight! You lay one finger on her, and I'll…"

"It's okay Mighty Ray, I don't think they're enemies" said the woman. "It's only a little girl and a Cheetah."

"Why would there be a little girl here?" said a tough man voice. Pink Spec quickly darted to the next cell as Liliac followed. The man inside was wearing an all black body suit with a wooden brace around his neck, holding his hands together. He looked at them both in anger, but he noticed Liliac's weapon. "Oh, a staff, no wonder you got in here…"

"…Liliac…?"

Liliac's eyes opened up when that voice spoke her name. She quickly ran to the armored cell and looked inside. The man inside was sitting down, but noticeable gray hair was seen. A robe covered his chest, a familiar black robe. Liliac nearly exploded in happiness, "Daddy!" The several gasps in the other cells were muted by the sudden clang of the cell door. Liliac dug the blade at the end of her staff into the keyhole. The door opened, Liliac wasting no time in rushing in. She wrapped her arms around her father, "Daddy I'm here!"

"Liliac…what are you doing here?" he asked in a gruff voice.

"Daddy…" she replied, "I came to rescue you…"

"Liliac, you must get out of here. I already lost so much, I don't want to lose you too…"

Liliac released her embrace and looked at her father. She gasped at what he meant. Pink Spec walked in, "Hey Liliac, what's…" Pink Spec gasped even louder at what she saw. Lin Chung was unable to stand, let alone return his daughter's hug. Why was because Lin Chung did not have any arms. His sides were heavily bandaged. Liliac backed up, "Daddy…what…what did he…?"

"Liliac, you must get out of here NOW!"

"But…Daddy…"

"I SAID GET OUT! GET OUT OF HERE AND NEVER COME BACK!"

Pink Spec grabbed her, "He's right Liliac we need to go!" Liliac was placed on Pink Spec's back and she wrapped her tail around Liliac for support. With all of her speed, Pink Spec rushed out of the dungeon and out of East Citadel. Liliac looked back at East Citadel with tears, "…daddy…"

* * *

Rosefinch was with the Cheetah royalty with slight anger, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE"S NOT HERE?!" The doors suddenly opened, making everyone in the room to turn. Pink Spec ran inside and next to them. Liliac was on her back, but she was shaking. Rosefinch quickly went to her and hugged, "Liliac, what's wrong?!"

Liliac looked up at her mother with tear-filled eyes, "Daddy…he yelled at me…"

Rosefinch had so many questions but she stayed quiet to comfort her daughter. Cheetah King and Queen approached their daughter, giving her slight comfort but also questioning where she went. After Liliac calmed down enough, she and Pink Spec explained what happened. Their expressions were surprised when they heard about them going to East Citadel, but they continued to listen. After they stopped, Liliac burst into tears again. Rosefinch embraced her in a warm hug. "Mother…why was he even in that horrible place?" asked Liliac with tears still visible.

Rosefinch and the royal Cheetahs looked at each other and sighed. "Liliac, I believe you have seen enough to learn the truth" she replied. Liliac looked up at her mother as well as Pink Spec, "You two remember the stories of the heroes of Hidden Kingdom?" They nodded their heads as Rosefinch continued, "Well, those stories were true. Long ago, there was an organization known as Big Green. Big Green was Hidden Kingdom's source of peace. High Roller was a minor threat back then. In Big Green, there were a mighty group of heroes known as First Squad. Your father was Lin Chung, the most skilled warrior of First Squad. The other members you met were the only girl member Mystique Sonia, the powerful Mighty Ray, the experienced Mr. No Hands, and Jumpy Ghostface, otherwise known as Rabbit King. Several years ago, High Roller sent out several of his animal kings to take the members of First Squad so Hidden Kingdom would always be under his rule. That moment you remember all too well was that faithful day." Liliac shuttered at the memory.

"Uh, excuse me Liliac's mother" said Pink Spec. "You seem to know a lot…were you…?"

"Yes, I also was a member of Big Green. I was one of the skilled pilots of Big Green's Air Force."

Liliac and Pink Spec gasped. Rosefinch slightly blushed, but Cheetah King walked in the conversation. "Even after High Roller took over and destroyed Big Green, some of the animal kingdoms stayed on the side of humans" he explained. "We Cheetahs were one of the few who stayed on their side."

Liliac faced Cheetah King, "What other animals stayed on the human's side?"

"Besides us Cheetahs, the Turtles, Parrots, Ligers, Bats, and Hens stayed on our side. Why do you ask?"

Liliac stood up and put her staff to her side. Rosefinch saw that stance before; it was the stance that Lin Chung usually made. "Cheetahs, mother, I am going to reform Big Green."

This surprised everyone, but Pink Spec walked up beside her, "Liliac, you are crazy. But, you have guts. Consider me a member as the representative for the Cheetahs."  
The royal Cheetahs were about to interfere, but Rosefinch hugged her daughter before they could. "Liliac, as much as I want to stop you, I have to agree with you. Big Green was the only thing stopping High Roller before. He had his power for far too long. I see too much of your father in you, you will be a great leader."

"I hate to interfere" said Cheetah King, "But even if you manage to convince some of the other animals to join, you still will not have enough to defeat High Roller."

Cheetah Queen approached, "Actually, I believe I know an old friend that can help."


	4. The First Recruits

Liliac and Pink Spec ran across the land near the mid-afternoon. Cheetah Queen told them that Parrot King might be able to help with finding new members. They would try to find Commander Ape Truly, but he disappeared after Big Green was destroyed. He was the closest friend of Ape Truly's, so he would be the most reasonable source. The pair of friends stopped within the boundaries and walked the rest of the way. Parrot King sat on his snail as they both slid out of the castle.

"Hello, Braach!" he squawked, "Welcome to Parrot Castle."

"Are you Parrot King?" asked Liliac.

"Why, yes I am. What brings you both here?"

"We come to ask you about Big Green."

Parrot King squawked in surprise. Liliac and Pink Spec seemed confused by his reaction. Parrot King looked around to make sure the area was clear. He did not want a loose animal hearing their conversation. He signaled the two as he headed inside. Liliac and Pink Spec followed inside. However, none of them noticed that a figure landing behind them.

Once they were inside, Parrot King landed on a perch. "Now, what would you children like to know? Braach!"

"Parrot King, we wish to know where the members of First Squad used to live before they were captured by High Roller" said Liliac. She had determination in her voice.

"My word, Bracch! You seem to know so much right now. But, why so interested in…" Parrot King squawked in surprise when he paid more attention on the Cheetah. "Aw, Pink Spec, Braach! It has been a while."

Pink Spec looked at Parrot King in confusion. However, that confusion quickly turned back to shock. Pink Spec laughed as she ran up to Parrot King, "It's you! You're the little green bird that taught me my first words!" Pink Spec hugged Parrot King in her giggling outburst. Parrot King patted her back before he flew back to his perch. "And if you are Pink Spec…" he turned his attention to Liliac. "Then you must be that little human, Liliac I believe." Liliac nodded in confirmation. "Oh, now I know why you want to know. Braach! You know about your father, don't you?"

"Yes Parrot King" she replied. "I understand what my father was and what he has done. But I wish to continue what he never finished. I know some of the animals are still on the human's side, but I think that the old heroes had children as well. Do you know where…?"

"Hello? Parrot King?" asked a voice. Everyone turned to the door in shock. Princess Maya stepped inside in a normal pace. "Parrot King, who are you…" Princess Maya looked shocked at the human girl that stood before her. A smile came onto her beak, "Oh my…a real human!"  
Liliac, on the other hand, was not pleased at all. The blades from her staff shot out before she charged the Eagle. Ever since her father was taken, she hated all Eagles. Maya was surprised by this sudden action but crossed her wings to act as a shield. Liliac never let up on her attacks, she constantly swung her blades either across her or over her head. Princess Maya simply blocked or dodged each of those attacks. In the process, Liliac's attacks managed to knock over several items.

"ENOUGH! Braach!" shouted Parrot King. At his voice, Princess Maya and Liliac stopped. He flew off of his perch and flew between the two. "Liliac meet the Eagle Princess; Princess Maya. Princess Maya, meet…"

Parrot King never finished because Liliac tackled Princess Maya. Liliac held her wings down and pressed one of her blades against her throat. "So, you're the daughter of the Eagle that STOLE MY FATHER!" she shouted in anger. "I am going to enjoy this even more…"  
Pink Spec quickly grabbed Liliac before she would do something she would regret. Liliac fought back, but this wasn't playing around. She actually wanted to hurt Princess Maya. Parrot King flew to her side, "Princess, I am sorry to say that your father the Eagle King was the one who kidnapped her father, Braach!"

Princess Maya looked shocked. Never has she ever heard of her father doing this. She wanted to apologize to Liliac, but after what she almost experienced Maya was more scared than anything. Liliac seemed to calm down enough to stand in the same room with her mortal enemy. The blades retracted into her staff as Pink Spec let her go. Liliac glared at the Eagle, who noticed that she was staring at her with a bit of concern.

"What do you want?" she asked coldly.

Princess Maya shot back slightly, "I…I just wanted to apologize…and ask if you were alright…"

"I do NOT want your sympathy BIRD!" Princess Maya shot back, greatly saddened. However, somewhere deep inside her Liliac knew she couldn't be mad at this eagle. "But…I'm sorry I attacked you…and it wasn't your fault with my father…" Her statement caused a smile to come onto Pink Spec's face and a sigh of relief from Princess Maya.

"Well now, Braach! Now that everyone seems to get along, I will tell you want you want" said Parrot King. "Now I am not sure entirely if they had kids, but I can tell you where you can find some recruits, Braach! Mighty Ray and Mystique Sonya lived near Liger Castle. Jumpy Ghostface went back to his castle before he was captured as well. The last one is always on the move, so you will have to find him on your own."

"Thank you Parrot King" said Liliac. "Alright Pink Spec, let's go."

"Hold on a second Liliac, Braach! There is one last animal that would be willing to join you."

"Who is it Parrot King?"

"It's me" said Princess Maya. Liliac gasped but Maya continued, "I was never happy with the way my father treated humans. I always wanted to help them and learn. But, he always kept me from it. Besides, no one else knows most of Hidden Kingdom better than I do."

Liliac sneered, but she slightly nodded. Maya smiled, glad to see that she was accepting. "Which castle is the closest to here?" asked Pink Spec.

"Rabbit Castle is just east of here; we should be able to make it before the sun goes down."

Liliac climbed onto Pink Spec before she quickly ran off. Maya flew off just above them, barely keeping up. Liliac did not want her to come, but Maya was willing to help, and they needed all the help they could get.

* * *

Raya hopped down a small trail between the massive carrots. She had a pink bandana around her neck. She stopped near a batch of smaller carrots, unwrapped her cloth, and started to place carrots in them. Raya smiled as she held the bundle in her ears. She began to hop back, but she did not watch where she was going. She ran into a pink blur that knocked her bundle loose. Raya rubbed her head and looked up. She saw three large creatures that she has never seen before. One reached down, but Raya bolted before they could do anything.

"Hey wait!" shouted Pink Spec.

"It's too late" said Liliac, "She's gone."

Maya walked over to the scattered pile of carrots and started to pick them up. She then grabbed the bandana and wrapped the pile of carrots in it. She faced the others, "We might as well return these to the little rabbit." Maya walked towards the castle and followed by Liliac and Pink Spec.

"I still don't trust her" said Liliac.

"Liliac…" replied Pink Spec, "You need to let the past go sometimes. Maya seems nice, and you shouldn't ruin a new friendship with something that you could not control."

"She will be on our side, but she will NOT be my friend."

Unknown to both of them, Maya was able to hear them both. She was disappointed that the first human she met hates her. But, she was slightly expecting that since her father and her kind always mistreated humans. The doors opened as the three approached the castle. Once they stepped inside they found themselves in the throne room. Several Rabbits were lined up one both sides of the room and a pure white Rabbit sat on the throne. The Rabbit they ran into was cowering behind her.

"Hello travelers" said the white Rabbit, "I am the Rabbit Queen. What brings you here?"  
Maya took a few more steps forward, "I believe the rabbit behind you dropped this when she ran into us."

The small scared Rabbit slowly hopped into sight as she approached Maya. Maya tried to put on a warm smile as she handed the bundle of carrots to her. The Rabbit quickly grabbed the bundle and retreated behind the queen. "I thank you for your kindness" Rabbit Queen said. Maya bowed as she returned with her two traveling companions.

Liliac noticed her kindness, and started to ease up. Maybe Pink Spec was right, maybe not all Eagles were bad. But, she stayed focused. She walked forward to address the Queen, "Rabbit Queen, we come to you asking for some assistance" she started. "I am Liliac, daughter of Lin Chung." The Rabbits around her started to talk amongst themselves. "I wish to reform Big Green and defeat High Roller." The Rabbits around her gasped and began to quickly look at each other. "We ask for a member of your castle to help us aid in High Roller's defeat."

The Rabbits backed up in fear. No one was volunteering, making Liliac feel depressed. She bowed in respect and began to leave. However, Raya hopped uneasily from behind the throne. She nervously bowed to the trio, "I Raya. I help with team."

Rabbit Queen hopped down her throne with great speed and concern. "Raya, are you sure you want to go with them?" she asked.

"Raya want to help" she said with slight fear. "Show everyone Raya not scared."

Rabbit Queen looked at her daughter. She wanted to go, but this fight could be very dangerous. She did not want her daughter to get injured or killed, but this group may be Hidden Kingdom's last chance for a peaceful society. Rabbit Queen hugged her daughter one last time before she nodded her head. But before they left, Rabbit Queen hopped to Liliac. "Please, keep my daughter safe."

Liliac agreed to this promise and let Raya get anything she needed. The other rabbits handed her a few more carrots and a jump rope, but she seemed to not like them. But, she accepted them anyway and left. Raya seemed excited, but Liliac could tell she was actually scared. Her father taught her to read expressions well. "Alright Eagle" Liliac said coldly, "How far is Liger Castle?"

Princess Maya flew a few feet into the air, "Well, we should be able to get there before nightfall. That all depends on what we encounter."

"What's out there?" asked Pink Spec.

"Well my father sends out some Eagle scouts on occasion. We might run into a few of them. So it would be better for us to get there as soon as possible."

Liliac hopped onto Pink Spec after managing to get Raya set on. "Then let's see you catch up" she said. Pink Spec did not seem happy, but she ran anyway. Raya held onto Liliac with her ears and covered her face against Liliac's chest. Pink Spec was one of the fastest Cheetahs, but Liliac was used to riding with Pink Spec. Princess Maya flew through the air, but was starting to fall behind. Liliac smiled at this, but Pink Spec slowed down for her.

* * *

Misty and Red Ray were out of their homes again today. They went out further than what the territories were, searching for fruit. Red Ray was lifted by Yaksha's arms, observing each apple that was in the tree. Misty, on the other hand, quickly ran to the trunk and punched it. The apples from the branches fell, some hitting Red Ray and Yaksha. Red Ray sighed as he brushed off the apples that managed to collect on his head, "Misty, why did you punch the tree?"

"We needed apples, so I got apples" she replied. She grabbed and apple and took a bite out of it. "What's the big deal? We have apples now…"

"Yes, but not all of them were fully grown or ripe yet. We needed to pick the fresh apples and leave the others up there."

Misty rubbed the back of her head, "Oops…my bad…" Red Ray sighed as Yaksha lowered him to the ground. She walked off of his head and then shaped into a basket-like object. She, along with Red Ray, began to pile in fresh apples into the empty case. After they were done, Red Ray and Misty grabbed the two handles and began to walk back to the village.  
They got back and placed the apples within their home. Once she was empty, Yaksha reformed back into her normal form and happily placed herself onto Red Ray's head. However her happy expression changed when she suddenly got off of his head and climbed out of their home. Red Ray and Misty looked at each other before climbing out after her. They saw the group and approached them. Yaksha sat herself back on Red Ray's head, readying for the worse.

"Hello travelers" said Red Ray, " My name is Red Ray, and this is my sister Misty. What brings you here?"

"We are looking for Liger Castle" said Liliac.

"Uh…it's right behind us" said Misty. The group looked behind the two, seeing Liger Castle. "What are you, blind?!"

"Be calm sister, I'm sure they have good reason."

"Yeah, well we're going with them in case they try something."

Before Red Ray could protest, Misty grabbed his arm and dragged him with the others. Liliac led the group with Pink Spec at her side. Raya hopped nervously behind them as Misty, Red Ray, and Princess Maya walked in the back. Princess Maya glanced at what appeared to be a hat on Red Ray's head, but she was quickly glanced at in anger. "Excuse me for asking, but what exactly is on your head?" she asked.

"This is Yaksha, my dear good love" replied Red Ray. "She's pretty protective ever since my parents disappeared."

"So your parents disappeared too…"

Red Ray looked at Princess Maya with concern. She seemed to change her expression rather quickly. Before Red Ray could ask, they arrived at Liger Castle. Several Ligers crowded around them as Liger King stepped forward. "What do you want?" he asked. "I may be kind to humans, but that still doesn't mean I will be to your kind."  
Everyone turned to see that Liger King was talking about Maya. Liliac smiled, "I like this guy already…" Liliac turned to Liger King, "Your highness, I would like to request your assistance in the reformation of Big Green."

Silence flew through the castle and the courtyard. Suddenly, Liger King started to laugh along with the other Ligers. The group looked at the Ligers in confusion. Liger King stopped laughing as he wiped a loose tear from his eye. "Oh my, that's a laugh. Sorry to ruin your little dream kid, but Big Green was ruined a long time ago. Besides you won't catch us helping, not a single Liger will help you."

Liliac glared at Liger King but then turned to leave. Pink Spec followed her as she left. Raya hopped nervously after along with Maya. This time, Red Ray grabbed Misty's arm and dragged her out. They went out to the twin's home before Liliac collapsed. "I failed…"

"What did you say" asked Misty.

"I failed my father. I wanted to reunite the team so that I could say him and the others High Roller has captured. But all I am is a waste. We will never get the team together."

"I'm sure you will…with our help" said Red Ray. Liliac looked up at him as he reached out a tissue. Liliac dried her eyes before Red Ray continued, "I would be honored to help your cause. And I think Yaksha would be willing to as well." Yaksha nodded and gently patted Liliac's back. Liliac smiled before Misty helped her up.

"Trust me, you're not going anywhere with my brother without me" she said.

"Uh…m-may…may I j-join…?" asked a voice. Everyone turned to see a Liger standing behind them. The first thing they noticed is that he slightly looked like Liger King. However this one had curved markings on his body and the rung in his mouth seemed to have something extra on him. "Uh…h-hello… M-my name…my name is Jade Claw Lion" he stammered. "I-I would l-like to j-join…"

"I've never seen you before" said Misty.

"That's b-because my f-father…L-Liger K-King… He is d-disappointed by me… I-I don't want t-to rule the throne…and I-I do n-not l-like to fight."

"If you don't want to fight then we do not need you! Now just go back to whatever room you were hiding in and…"

Liliac approached Jade Claw, "We would be honored to have a Liger on the team." Jade Claw gave a nervous smile and a nod. Princess Maya walked forward, "I do not know where you are planning to go next, but I may have a solution…"


	5. War Within

Princess Maya flew point as the others followed. Since they had no proper way of transportation, they walked on foot. Liliac still did not trust that eagle, even if her life depended on it. Although she had to admit that the feather head was being useful. Traveling as a group would cause attention, but for some strange reason not a single Eagle Scout was visible. Fog began to encase the heroes, scaring Raya and Jade Claw a little. Raya was surprised when Jade Claw hid behind her. "Jade Claw…scared…?"

Jade Claw nervously nodded, "I-I frighten easily…"

Raya extended one of her ears, "You hold ear if scared…"

"Y-You…y-you are n-not s-scared…?"

"Raya scared, but together better than alone."

Jade Claw smiled as he gently grabbed her ear. They walked through the fog with precaution. Liliac took point as the others followed. Suddenly, Princess Maya landed in front of her with her wings spread out. "We're here…" she said. She turned around and began to flap her wings. The thick fog began to clear, revealing their location. A lake that stretched out against the horizon laid in front of them. But what surprised the group the most was what was in the center of the lake. A shattered massive dome appeared to be floating in the lake. Only a few of its walls still stood tall. "Everyone" said Maya, "This was once Big Green."

"The stories were true" said Pink Spec in disbelief.

Liliac took a few steps forward, "Why did you take us here?"

"I figured if we can salvage some stuff from here, then we could set up our own base somewhere."

Right when Princess Maya finished her statement, bubbles began to form on the edge of where they were standing. Liliac and Princess Maya as the bubbles began to intensify and a light shined within the lake. The water exploded into a large column as a dark figure leapt from the top. The figure landed with a loud thud as it hits the ground.

Now, but first appearance, it would look like a normal spider. But, with a closer look, the creature had the body of a human and the body of a spider. It wore a dark blue robe along with a headpiece that covered his entire face. "Why have you come here?" he asked.  
Everyone was pretty silent. They were still startled by his sudden appearance. However, Liliac settled and approached, "I am Liliac, daughter of Rosefinch and Lin Chung. I am beginning to reform Big Green and bring peace back to Hidden Kingdom."

The being chuckled, "You say you would want to bring peace, but yet you cannot find your own."

"What does that mean?"

"I am saying that you cannot go to Big Green. The others are welcome, but you are not."

"Please strange spirit; there must be some way that I can enter with my friends."

The spirit turned to face her friends. They all seemed like they would not go without her. And it seems that Liliac would not understand her problem. For the daughter of Lin Chung, she sure is different. "There is no other way… Come back when you discover the truth…"

As the demon turned around, Liliac appeared. Her staff was at the ready, her face holding a determined look, "I will go to Big Green, even if I have to fight you for it!" The demon sighed as he shook his head. He slowly posed into a stance, causing Liliac to charge.

Liliac expertly swung her staff at the demon. But the demon used his legs as a quick block. Liliac did not let up on her attacks. The only thing she hated more than Eagles was High Roller. He sent Eagle King to capture him; he imprisoned him, and cut off his arms. The one thing she wanted was revenge, sweet revenge. Anger coursed through her veins as her attacks became more violent. But, they were also becoming very sloppy. The demon was more capable of dodging the attacks easier. Liliac did notice this, but her father's teachings did not come to mind. She was letting her anger take the best of her. Instead of focusing on what made her attacks missed, she focused more on making her attacks harder and more powerful. One move ended the fight instantly, the demon grabbed Liliac's staff and he pulled her in. He punched Liliac with a clawed fist, his one glove was removed. Liliac fell to the ground in terrible pain. Pink Spec and Princess Maya approached Liliac and tried to help her up.

Liliac was in terrible pain, but she still was conscious. She shoved Maya away as Pink Spec closed in on her more. Maya stood up and backed away in sadness. The demon placed his glove back on and made his way over to Liliac. She had a horrible expression on her face and her cheeks were bright purple. The demon pulled something from his coat and handed it to Pink Spec. It was a small vile with a colorless liquid inside. "Give this to her, it will heal her ailment." Pink Spec said nothing in response as she poured the liquid down her friend's throat. Liliac's skin color returned to normal as she stirred back to full consciousness. Liliac coughed a few times before she faced the demon. The demon faced Liliac, "You say you fight for peace, but your own spirit reeks with the stench of vengeance. You must learn not to dwell on the past, and you must learn to let go of your angers. Just because one does something, doesn't mean another is the same. Settle the war within you, then you can come back."

The demon crawled towards the lake where he slowly sunk back into the depths. Liliac got up and brushed herself off. Everyone had an aura of silence around them. Liliac pondered what the demon said, "What did he mean by 'settle the war with you'?"

"I don't know, but thanks to you we will never get inside" Misty spoke up.

Red Ray rolled his eyes as Yaksha smacked the back of her head. Liliac could not help but to feel a bit guilty. Pink Spec patted her back to ease the tension. Maya approached, but Liliac pushed her away and walked away from Big Green. Red Ray focused on the action Liliac just performed towards Maya. A theory appeared in his head, but he kept it to himself. The other followed Liliac as she walked away.

"So… what are we going to do now?" asked Pink Spec. "We can't go visit Big Green… so what now…?"

A large rock beside them suddenly opened. The group stepped back, Liliac, Maya, and Misty all getting into defensive stances. They settled as a small pink monkey slowly raised its head out of the hole. But Jade Claw quickly ducked behind Raya. Misty chuckled at the wimpy display. Raya slowly turned and patted Jade Claw's head with one of her ears. Jade Claw removed his claws from his eyes and slowly stood up. The small pink monkey motioned for them to follow as she ducked back down. The group shrugged as they climbed into the hole. Jade Claw had trouble going through, but once he did the rock closed around them.  
The tunnel was barely lit, but you could see nonetheless. The group had to travel single file, but Jade Claw remained close to Raya. Liliac leaned closer to the small monkey, "Thank you for doing this, but who are you…?"

The monkey said nothing as she continued walking. Liliac looked back at Pink Spec in confusion. She simply shrugged in the same state of emotion. A small light appeared at the very end of the tunnel. The small pink monkey quickly picked up speed. Liliac followed suit as well as the others. The light blinded them, but their eyes quickly adapted. Liliac gasped at the sight before her, the others only showing surprise from their eyes.

They were actually inside Big Green. Most of the walls were up, but one side showed the water that surrounded it. Only the main structure was intact, most of the rooms were in ruin. Liliac walked over the rubble with ease, as well as Princess Maya flying over top the ruins. The others were having great trouble maneuvering through the rubble. They followed the strange and silent monkey to one of the only solid rooms. The pink monkey motioned her to stop and she climbed through the small hatch that led to the inside. The group looked at each other as they waited.

"What is it Brave One?" Everyone took notice of the voice. The hatch opened again, the pink monkey climbed back out. However, she held a hand whose owner still stayed inside the room. With careful maneuvering, the pink monkey let out another monkey. This one was red and he had a similar design on his chest. However, bandages covered his eyes and a bit of blood covered them. "Hello there visitors… might I ask of you who you are…?"

Liliac looked at the others, each one of them were giving her an unknown look. She turned back to the monkey and kneeled down, "Uh… I am Liliac… daughter of Lin Chung and Rosefinch…"

The red monkey gasped, "Lin…Chung… leader of First Squad, most skilled warrior of Big Green, and famed hero that possesses the Harmonic energy?!"

Liliac was surprised that her father was all of these things. But, she explained herself and who else was with her. For the next few hours, the monkey, who introduced himself as Ape Truly, explained what happened to Big Green. He also explained that their parents used to live here. Princess Maya was greatly saddened that her father was not one of the animal rulers that joined. Ape Truly led each child to their parent's rooms. The rooms were mostly intact, but everything was buried in rubble. Liliac treaded over her father's old room. She lifted her foot and saw a small sketch pad. She picked it up and flipped through the pages. She gasped at the amazing artwork he was capable of.

Red Ray and Misty went over to their parents' rooms. They were greatly saddened that they always thought while in Big Green, but they were glad that they were together. Yaksha lifted a piece of rubble, revealing a broken flute. Red Ray grabbed it gently as Yaksha placed the piece back down. "This… this was mother's old instrument…" he said. Yaksha lifted Red Ray and walked him to Misty. Misty was lifting rubble piece by piece, throwing the rubble away. Red Ray was placed beside her. "Misty… remember when mother always played this before we went to bed…?"

Misty tossed one last pile of rubble before looking at the flute. "Yeah, I remember her flute playing" she said, "But this one looks different…" Misty stepped down on a loose item and fell instantly. Red Ray looked down, taking notice of the items buried beneath the rubble. A small smile went across his face, "It looks like our father was as messy as you are…"

Misty got up and brushed herself off, "Well I am lucky I have you with me, you're a neat freak."

Jade Claw, Pink Speck, and Raya went through their father's rooms, but did not find much. Brave One lead Ape Truly to where the group was now. "I appreciate everything that you want to do, but may I ask why Brave One needed to sneak you in here?"

"That demon prevented us from entering" said Liliac.

"Yīxiàn xīwàng is a noble spirit. His appearance may be very strange, but he can see the truth inside anyone. Why exactly did he deny you entry here?"

"He said that I needed to settle the war within me before I could truly want peace for Hidden Kingdom."

Ape Truly was as silent as Brave One. Brave One was young though, so she couldn't speak even if she wanted to. Ape Truly was slightly confused to why of all members, it had to be the daughter of Lin Chung. His pause caused worry to cast over everyone. He cleared his throat, "Well, I am glad Brave One could help. Now, what is your plan of action?"  
Liliac thought it over as the others grouped around her. "Well…" she started, "I believe we should look for more members…"

"The animal kingdoms that are sided with high Roller will not be convinced as easily" said Ape Truly.

"Monkey right" said Raya. "Other animals not friendly. Need more convincing."

The group was deep in thought. If they couldn't bring back the animal kings and queens, then who could they side with? Maya's face flashed with an idea as a smile formed on her beak. "I think we might be targeting the one animals" she explained. Everyone turned to her in confusion. "All of the animal kings and queens will not side with humans and Big Green, but what about their children? I am a living example…"

Pink Spec walked up and patted her back, "Maya's right, we can always try to find their children to join."

The group nodded in agreement, even Liliac. But she did not like that Maya came up with the idea. They decided that they would split up to find new members. However Raya and Jade Claw were too scared to even offer. Ape Truly allowed them to stay in Big Green while the others set off. Red Ray and Misty set off together, as well as Liliac and Pink Spec. Maya flew alone, especially after the stare Liliac gave her. Their hope to bring peace was now their action.


	6. A Fish out of Water

Liliac rode of Pink Spec's back across the plains. Pink Spec did not mind her friend riding on her. She has been doing this for years; it wasn't a bother in the slightest. Pink Spec ran behind a few large rocks, large enough to hide them. Liliac stepped off of her friend as she pulled out a scroll. She unfurled it, it revealing a large map of the region. "Alright, so this is the section of Hidden Kingdom where we are now" explained Liliac. "Now, all we need to do is figure out where each animal kingdom is…"

Pink Spec sighed, "Well Liliac… if you were nicer to Maya you may have the info she gave me." Using her tail, Pink Spec placed one of her spots on different locations. The total amount of spots she placed were four; two in different forests, one along the plains surrounded by lakes, and one out on a grassy field. "These are the known locations of the animal kingdoms. Maya said she would cover the Owls in the nearby forest. The Roto-Wolves are dangerous, so we shouldn't worry about them right now. So our choices are the Cats or Lions."

Liliac grumbled to herself. All of this information came from Maya. She hated to admit it, but Maya was useful for a nasty Eagle. She pondered for a few minutes. The Lions are as fierce as the Ligers, and they were lucky to leave without one of them fighting. But, the Cats sounded easy. She never did much fighting except sparring either with her father or Pink Spec. She removed the spots off of the map and rolled it up. She handed Pink Spec her spots, but noticed something. Her tail was not missing any spots. But when the spots returned, they placed back where the old ones were.

Pink Spec just returned her spots when she noticed her childhood friend acting strange. She stared blankly at her tail, so she moved it and waved her paw in front of her face, "Uh… Cheetah to human… Pink Spec to Liliac, do you read me…?"

Liliac snapped out of her trance as she shook her head. "Yeah… I-I'm fine…" Liliac placed the map away and climbed onto Pink Spec's back. With a great burst of speed, Liliac and Pink Spec were sent off to Cat Castle.

* * *

Sea Salt playfully splashed in the shallow waters of the small lake. Sea Salt was always the odd cat. He was the son of Cat King, but he was born unusual not only in appearance, but also in personality. His fur was light yellow with dark brown patches on his face and legs. A blue bandana was tied around his neck as his eyes were yellow. He continued to splash the water until a small shimmer caught his attention. It was a small fish. Sea Salt loved fish, so he stopped and glared at the fish. He was about to pounce on it, but laughter stopped him. Two cats walked by, snickering at him.

"Look, it's the little odd furball…" said the one cat.

"He might as well be… I think Cat King coughed him up instead of birthing him…"

Sea Salt growled at them in anger. The pair simply laughed, "Oh look, the kitten actually thinks he is tough." The dark brown cat leaned in, "Listen here you sea biscuit; I do not care if you're the son of our king. You are nothing but a stray to us."

The blue cat laughed, "Hey, I wouldn't be surprised if he was a stray!"

Sea Salt shrunk back as the two guards walked by laughing. Tears began to form in his strange yellow eyes. Like his father requests, he grabbed a small glass container and cried into the jar. There was a good amount of tears inside the glass. What the guards said was true. He was not like most cats. Sure his appearance may have been different, but that is not one reason why. When he was basically a newborn, he had a human friend. Every day, Sea Salt played with a human boy in the nearby village. The cat prince always received fresh fish from the boy as a gift. But when his father found out about the human, Cat King sent his army and attacked the village. Every day since then, Sea Salt cried from the loss of his friend. He was still alive, but his kind's attacks caused them to flee. He only hoped he would still be a friend.

Sea Salt stopped playing in the lake, grabbed the glass, and left for his home. Right before he entered the castle, he caught something out of the corner of his eye. A pink and black blur suddenly ran behind one of the water wheels. Sea Salt was a cat, and cats were well known for their curiosity. He would go explore, but he wouldn't go unprepared. The cat prince grabbed a set of chili pepper firecrackers and began to wander over. Sea Salt was very curious to what was behind there, if there was anything.

Pink Spec and Liliac just arrived at the outskirts of Cat Castle. Knowing that a human would probably draw attention, the odd-colored cheetah ducked behind the water wheel that was close to the land. Liliac climbed off of her childhood friend once she knew they were alone. The two peered around the opposite end to get a good view. Liliac giggled, catching the attention of her friend. "What's so funny?" Pink Spec asked.

Her friend stopped laughing, "Oh… I find it funny that Cat Castle is surrounded by water."

Pink Spec eyed her friend, "And what's so funny about that? Cats can swim…"

"Yeah, but you're afraid of the water…"

Liliac's usually calm friend shot a growl at her. "I AM NOT!" Liliac was somewhat right, Pink Spec was always nervous around water; if she was afraid or not was unknown to Liliac for sure. But, the human enjoyed teasing her cheetah pal, even if it caused a bit of an uproar. Liliac motioned her hands for her to calm down, "Okay, okay, sorry Spec. Now, how will we…?"

A small meow caught both the human and the animal's attention. The two friends looked behind them cautiously. Sea Salt stood behind them, his eyes filled with curiosity and wonder. Liliac and Pink Spec turned fully around to address him. "Uh… hello…" Liliac said nervously. "Who are you…?" The last thing they needed was a kitten to tell on them.

"Friend…?" Sea Salt did not know much English. Cat King prevented his own son from learning too much. He believed that if his son knew a lot of English, he would still try to remain friends with humans. So, he forced Sea Salt to stop. But that doesn't stop him for trying.

"What… oh, yes we are friends…" Liliac was afraid that this cat would tell on them for being here. If anything, she would risk herself being captured instead of the royal cheetah. However, all of these thoughts were pushed out when she felt warm fur on her side. The little kitten was rubbing his face against her body. "Friend, friend!" he constantly said.

Pink Spec watched the display of affection. It was cute. The little kitten obviously is friendly to humans; maybe he could be a new recruit. Her ears perked as well as the kittens. A cat was approaching their area and fast. The pink cheetah quickly warned her friend before the cat finally came. "Alright, who's…" The cat's sour attitude and tone of voice suddenly changed, as well as his facial expression. "Well… this is an unexpected visit. Welcome to Cat Castle, what are you doing here Cheetah Princess…?"

Pink Spec turned; making sure that Liliac was out of site. Sea Salt came from her side and nudged himself underneath her paw. The royal princess smiled as she patted his head. "To be honest, I was just running through Hidden Kingdom" she said. "If you want to be the new queen, you need to know what else you're dealing with."

"Shall I inform Cat King…?"

"Oh no, I was just passing through. But, who is this little guy? He seems pretty sweet…"

The cat guard's smile disappeared. "Oh, that's just the king's son Sea Salt. Honestly, I think the furball is adopted." The cat guard's words hurt in Sea Salt's ears. More tears streamed from his face and landed in the container. "I swear… he's the complete oddball of the entire Cat Kingdom. He loves humans, always upbeat and friendly, and he even loves water! I'm just wondering if there is anything of Cat King inside of him."

The guard left the two just before Liliac landed back down. She was hiding within one of the paddles of the water wheel. She looked at Sea Salt with deep sorrow. The container that the tears were falling in was almost full. The tears that fell on the ground sizzled and burned. "Bad…" he said, "Bad… very bad…"

Pink Spec gently cuddled him in comfort. Liliac watched as her dear friend comforted the small kitten. Her paws gently rubbed his head as her tail wrapped around his. And then, the human heard something her friend has never done before. She started to purr, a very loud purr. Sea Salt was enjoying the cheetah's embrace and calming purrs. Pink Spec learned this trick from her mother. She always did that to her when she was feeling stressed. Once he settled down, the two cats separated. "Friend good…" he said.

Liliac rejoined them as they separated. "Now then Sea Salt, I am Liliac and this is my friend Pink Spec" she explained. "We are reforming a group to where animals and humans could live together. We would like to ask you if you would be willing to join." Sea Salt pounced on Liliac. Pink Spec shot up, thinking it was an attack. But, she stopped when she saw the small kitten snuggling with her. Liliac giggled as Sea Salt gave her great amounts of affection. "So I take that as a yes then…?" Sea Salt nodded greatly and even let out a happy meow.

**SEA SALT 043**

The trio smiled as they were now team members. However they allowed Sea Salt to go to the castle for preparations. Minutes later, the cat prince came back with a sealed jar of his tears, a small box filled with firecrackers, and a fish in his mouth. Liliac smiled at the kitten's love and climbed onto Pink Spec's back. With another great burst of speed, the cheetah ran out of sight within a few seconds.


	7. Prince of Owls

Princess Maya flew across the sky on the cross breeze. She enjoyed the feeling of the wind through her feathers and the sights of below. The nearby forest was now visible. The eagle princess tipped her wings to begin her descent. With great silence and grace, Maya landed on a tree branch. She reached for her map and unfurled it, showing a detailed area of the forest. "Alright, so the animal kingdoms here are the Roto-Wolves and the Owls" she started. "The Roto-Wolves are territorial, so they probably wouldn't be the best choice. I guess that means I will go…"

Maya's voice trailed off as well as her concentration. Her looks went past the map at what was behind it. There was a human village down south. The coolest part is that the human's homes were made in the trees. Maya scratched her head uneasily. "Oh man…" she said, "I need to help my friends with their mission, but this is the perfect opportunity to watch the humans." Maya rubbed her wing in anxiousness, "Err… help friends, watch humans… gain new allies, learn human culture…" Even with all of her willpower, Maya flew in the direction of the human settlement. The trees had their leaves fully grown, so the curious eagle could hide in it easily.

The eagle princess popped her head out of the leaves and observed the humans. She watched as they worked together with their harvests and hard working tasks. She sighed in sadness as she watched the humans perform a difficult task, lifting things to the higher rooms. If the humans had the owl's help, they could easily have this task done. Princess Maya caught a few humans walking towards the forest. She silently left the tree top and flew into a distant tree. However, she wasn't the only creature in the tree.

Maya and the other creature fell from the tree and hit the ground. The eagle princess rubbed her head while trying to focus. Her eyes landed on the creature that she hit. It was an Owl, and by first glimpses it was male. His feathers were brown along with a few lighter shades. A red bow tie was placed right on his chest. Maya was worried when she saw him. His face was upside down. But, his face turned back to how it should be and he rubbed his head. "Oh man…" he said, "Watch where you're…" The Owl's eyes grew wide. "Oh Princess Maya…!" He quickly got up and bowed, "Sorry to run into you, I did not see you."  
Princess Maya hated constantly being treated with such high honor. But it was certainly better than how Liliac treated her. The eagle princess motioned her wings to ease down, "It's alright, I did not see you neither. Who are you exactly?"

The Owl brushed himself off and bowed once more. "I am the Prince of the Owls; you can refer to me either by OJ or DJ." Maya smiled as she found who she was looking for. However, before she could ask anything, DJ grabbed her wing, "Come on Princess, your father has been looking for you."

Maya went cold at that exact moment. Her father hated humans, but she hated it more when he saw her with humans. The eagle princess was now helping with Liliac and the others. The last time she was caught with a human, she never even wanted to remember what happened. But now she was in a group that threatens High Roller. If she was caught doing that…

Princess Maya swatted her wing away from DJ and backed up. The owl prince was confused by her actions. "Listen… DJ, I thank you for your concern but…" Maya rubbed her head nervously, "I just can't… go home…"

Now, DJ was a different owl. Like Maya, he too has taken an interest in humans. But unlike the royal eagle, DJ's father was alright with it. Owl King considered watching the humans a way to gain knowledge, something most owls always try to obtain. Because of this, DJ believes that almost any animal could watch them and not be harmed. Obviously he has not met Maya or even talked to her before. "Dear Princess, what is wrong…?"

"Maya!" The two turned as Pink Spec, Liliac, and Sea Salt came riding in. The human and kitten jumped off of the cheetah's back before they approached. "Hey Maya… we found a new member from the cats…"

Sea Salt looked upon the eagle with great curiosity. His yellow eyes shifted across her body with different expressions. Soon the kitten tilted his head, "…Friend…?"

As much as she wanted to, Liliac could not do that. "Yes Sea Salt, she is a friend…" Liliac wanted to say she was an enemy, hoping that the kitten would hate the eagle with her. But, then that would only prove to cause conflict. Sea Salt happily meowed with delight, "Friend friend!" But the cat prince's happy attitude turned sour once he saw DJ. He hissed as him and prepared one of his chili pepper firecrackers. DJ backed up but Maya blocked him.

"Everyone, this is DJ, the Prince of the Owls…" she explained.

"Or OJ" he added, "I will go by either one. But may I ask what a strange group like yourself is doing here?"

Liliac looked around, making sure no one else was around. "We will tell you, only if you promise to keep it a secret…" DJ nodded and perked up. Whoever this group was is beginning to get more interesting. "Alright, my name is Liliac. I am the daughter of the greatest warrior of the organization know as Big Green. Several years ago it was destroyed, but we are trying to restart it. We are trying to not only find more members, but to also bring peace between animals and humans."

The owl prince was overjoyed. He wanted to do more with humans besides watching them. And even more, the fighting skills he trained for will no longer come to waste. DJ bowed, "If that is the cause, then I would be honored to join you."

Liliac smiled with happiness. Their mission was becoming easier and easier by the minute. So far today, they received two members. If they could continue, they could probably get three to even four members! DJ needed to grab a few things though. The owl prince mentioned that they could wait in an area of the woods where not many owls or humans travel down. Of course, there was a strange white figure that appeared from behind the group as they moved on.

* * *

Liliac and the others waited by a few trees for DJ to return. She and Pink Spec decided to wait together. Princess Maya was still very cautious around the human girl. But, she has yet to know her new friend. She learned that Sea Salt was denied language lessons. So the royal eagle thought she could spend the few minutes teaching him some new words. "Let's start with something easy" the eagle started, "Try saying your name."

The kitten meowed in response. "Saying it in your language is good, but try the human language…" Sea Salt kept meowing over and over again. It seemed like he was in a lot of pain. Eventually, he stopped and began to pant. "Bad… bad… very bad…" Princess Maya placed her wings around the troubled cat and held him close. "It's okay Sea Salt, I have difficultly my first time as well."

The beating of wings signaled an owl's presence. The four heroes stood up and waited for their newest member. However, DJ was not the Owl that came. This owl had white feathers with black markings. His eyes were a bright yellow, a very scary bright yellow. "Well well, what do we have here?" he asked in a deep voice. "A human and three animals…" His eyes landed on Maya, "Oh dear Princess, your father has been worried sick about you. But what are you three doing with a human…?"

All of the members began to panic. Liliac began to reach for her staff. However the Owl saw this and charged. The human was thrown against the tree and her staff was hurled into the treetops. Before the warrior could react, the white owl let out a shrill screech that knocked Liliac out cold. Pink Spec quickly ran in a circle around the aggressive owl, firing her spots at him in the process. The Owl tried to swat them away, but the spots were overwhelming. He retreated to higher ground, but the cheetah continued her attack. If it wasn't enough, Sea Salt was beginning to throw his firecrackers. When most people or animals were cornered like he was, the Owl simply smiled. The kitten threw another one of his chili pepper firecracker, but the owl was ready He flapped his wings, directing it towards the two. Both Pink Spec and Sea Salt gasped before they were blanketed with the burning powder. Both animals began to rub their eyes in tears and in pain. The owl took advantage of this and shot out exploding owl pellets. The attack knocked out both animals easily. The owl chuckled as he landed. His eyes turned straight to Maya, who seemed rather scared.

"What is wrong dear Princess…?" he asked with a bit of smug in his voice, "Are you too afraid to fight for your 'friends.' If they were my friends, I would be willing to fight for them."

Princess Maya was still stunned. Why she never helped her friends was unknown to her. It could be the fact that her father was looking for her. But she knew two things. One was that she was not going to let her friends get hurt, and the other was that she wasn't going to be captured by some cocky overconfident bird that thinks he can do it all. Princess Maya slipped her blades over her wing tips and posed. The owl chuckled, "I always liked it when my food fought back."

Both the owl and the eagle charged. Maya skillfully swung her blades at her enemy as he did the same with his talons. Each attack clashed with great power and skill. But, the white owl's seemed stronger. Princess Maya was beginning to struggle with the fight, her strength strangely weakening. Although she fought honorably, the white owl did not. He shot owl pellets from his beak, exploding on impact. Maya was shot back, the cruel bird cutting a branch from the tree above her. A large branch tumbled down and fell on her body, pinning the eagle princess. She struggled against the branch, trying to get free. However, her struggling stopped when a pair of talons reached her neck. Her gaze met her captor's as he chuckled, "You know, now that I think about it, your father never asked for you alive…"

A stream of owl pellets hit the white owl in the back, breaking his concentration. His talons steered away from Maya's neck, but he remained above her. Both birds turned to see an angry DJ. The white owl chuckled, "Well well, if it isn't the little shrimp…"

"You have a lot of nerve being here Storm" DJ said coldly. "What are you doing here; you know these woods are restricted use of the royal family."

Storm landed directly in front of Maya, still managing to keep her trapped. "I am the royal guard, so shouldn't I be allowed these woods as well? But what I should be asking is why there is a human in these woods, and why are they all together?" He released a sarcastic gasp, "You, you're not going with them are you?!"

"What is it to you…?"

Storm chuckled, "Well… I was just…" Without warning, Storm shrieked. DJ was knocked back, but his talons prevented him from going far. The owl prince then took to the skies. Storm flew up as well, leaving Maya and the others alone. Liliac stirred awake, seeing Maya trapped beneath the branch. It took a lot of debating, but against her own conscious she ran towards her. "Don't get any ideas" Liliac said while prying the branch off of her.

Meanwhile in the skies, owl pellets and shrieks were being released everywhere. DJ and Storm were evenly matched. But there were differences to the two owls. DJ was more accurate and careful with his attacks, while Storm had more power but his attacks were sloppy. DJ flew into the clouds with the angry white owl following him foolishly. Once Storm was inside, he could not see around him. "Come out come out wherever you are shrimp!" he said angrily, "You can't hide forever!"

"I'M NOT COUNTING ON IT!" Storm looked up suddenly, but he was too late. DJ slashed his talons across the white owl's face, stunning him. The royal owl then shot out owl pellets, knocking Storm out of the sky. The owl plummeted to the ground in a white blur. He crashed straight into a rock, smashing it into pebbles. DJ landed right beside him as the others came closer. DJ faced his friends, "Are you all alright?"

"We're fine thanks to you…" said Maya.

The eagle's words caused a bit of emotions to swirl in the owl prince. Liliac looked at Storm, "Is he alright…?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if he couldn't remember his own name!" shouted Pink Spec.

"But he saw us, which means he could tell High Roller!"

"Don't worry" said DJ, "I think I can handle this."

* * *

Storm stirred awake, his harsh yellow eyes finally opening. He rubbed his head with his wing, "Oh man… what… happened…?" His vision cleared to where he could see clearly. The first thing he saw was DJ. He instantly snapped to conclusions, but his head hurt.

"Take it easy Storm… you took a nasty fall…" DJ said.

"What… What fall…?"

"You don't remember? You were trying to improve your flying and you ran into a tree branch. Then you fell and hit your head on that rock."

Storm looked over at the scene. Everything DJ said matched the scene. But, one fact stayed in his head. Storm shot up, despite the pain. "Where's that human?!"

DJ spun his head around to look at the scene, "…Human… here…?"

"I saw a human… and a cheetah… and a cat… and I saw the Princess!"

DJ patted Storm's back, "Storm, you must have hit you head harder than you thought. Maybe you should fly to the castle and take a rest."

Storm rubbed his head, "Yeah… I guess I will… You're okay shrimp…"

Storm flew off into the direction of the castle. DJ smiled, but in his mind he frowned. His act would last as long as the royal owl guard would not look at his reflection. Storm had a nasty scar over his left eye, making his yellow eye slightly dim. However he was safe for now. DJ turned to see the others walk out of their hiding spot.

Liliac was impressed by their new friend. He saved their lives from the owl, and from High Roller as well. She bowed, "Prince of the Owls, it would be an honor for you to join our noble cause."

DJ walked over and returned the bow, "The honor is all mine, daughter of Lin Chung…"

**DJ 054**

Pink Spec walked up and wrapped both Maya and Liliac in a head lock with different arms. "I saw what you did Liliac, you're starting to ease up on our eagle friend."

Liliac shoved her away, "I did it only because she needed help." The others smiled as DJ lead them away. It was close to nightfall, and he knew of a tree that could hold them all safe and hidden till morning.


	8. The Girl of the Swamp

Liliac was walking through the bright green fields. The sun was out, the sky was clear, a calm gentle breeze blew through the blades of grass; the day was beautiful. For once, Liliac felt happy. Out in the distance stood a figure, but it was not recognizable from where she was. As she stepped closer, Liliac grew more and more happy. Standing in the field was her father. Without question, Liliac ran towards her father with a few tears streaming down her face. When she got close, however, his arms were suddenly cut off. Eagles surrounded him, screeching and squawking. Lin Chung turned to face his daughter with a stern look of disgust. "Liliac… Why didn't you help me?" he said coldly. "I could have been saved; you could have saved me, why…?" The Eagles then flew up and dove towards Liliac.

* * *

"FATHER!" Liliac awoke with her heart beating and tears in her eyes. Her eyes darted around, hoping to take a grasp of where she was. Her scream woke the others, causing them to stir. Princess Maya moved closer, but she was greeted with a punch to the face. Liliac only saw her as an eagle from her dream, she did not know it was the eagle princess.

"What did you do that for Liliac?!" shouted Pink Spec.

Liliac did not reply. She slowly made her way against the wall of the hollow tree with her knees against her chest. The cheetah's anger dropped once she realized what happened. Princess Maya, Sea Salt, and DJ were left in the dark. However that did not stop Sea Salt. Along with Pink Spec, the Cat Prince snuggled with Liliac to comfort her. Soon, the young human was calm and happy. The others were happy as well, and soon they opened their map again.

"Alright, so we covered the Owls and the Cats" said Liliac, "So that just leaves the Lions and the Roto-Wolves in this area. I think after we complete those areas, we should return to Big Green."

"Are we going to split up?" asked Maya. "I don't think we could travel out in a large group."

"Princess Maya is right, she and I can fly" started DJ, "But the rest of you must walk. There must be an easier way to travel and keep us hidden at the same time."

The ground beneath the map began to slowly rise. The others backed away after rolling the map up. The ground burst open, a groundhog in the hole it created. The fur on his head was blue while the rest of his body was dark brown. He held a staff with a triangular shape and strange markings. His paws seemed larger than usual, and his tail had a spiral pattern.

"I couldn't help but overhear that you're planning on reforming that old peace organization" he said with a definite accent. The others looked nervous, but he continued. "Now now, don't get too excited. I'm actually interested. The name's Richter, the Groundhog Prince. I think I can help you out."

"How exactly can you help us?" asked Princess Maya. Although she respected the other animal kingdoms, the Groundhogs were the animals that she disliked the most.

"Well, I'm givin ya a piece of advice. One, watch what you say out loud. Several Groundhogs dig tunnels through here, and the rest of Hidden Kingdom. The second thing is that most of the tunnels are mine. I have tunnels connecting all of Hidden Kingdom. You could use the tunnels to move underground."

Everyone seemed to agree with Richter's statement. But, he was not done. "And if its new members you're lookin for, I have heard of a human near the swamps that could be a good ally."

Liliac smiled as he faced her team. "Alright, Pink Spec, you and Sea Salt go to Lion Castle. Maya and DJ, you try to convince the Roto-Wolves. I'll go with Richter to the swamps. We will all meet back at Big Green when we're done." Sea Salt climbed onto Pink Spec before she raced off in a pink blur. DJ and Maya flew out of the tree as Richter ducked back into his tunnel. "Hey Maya…" Maya stopped and turned back to the human. Liliac clenched her fist, but she calmed herself and smiled to the Eagle, "Good luck." The Eagle Princess smiled before she left the hole.

* * *

The swamp's landscape was brown and foggy. The water and the fog was a sickly green. The trees that grew in the water seemed lifeless, but they were as healthy as they could be. The ground loosened near the water's edge, Richter's head popping out from the ground. "Alright, we're here…" Richter stepped out of the hole with no emotion. However when Liliac stepped out, she covered her nose with disgust. "Oh man… What's that smell?!" Liliac shouted with disgust.

"It's the swamp" the royal Groundhog spoke. He continued to walk, unfazed. "Hey, how do you think I feel? My nose is much stronger than yours."

"Then how are you standing the smell?"

"Living underground most of my life, I smelled quite a lot of smells. Well, I smelled something far worse." Liliac managed to overcome the horrid smell and continued to walk. She looked around at the desolate place. How could a human survive here? They would have to be dead or…

The human girl was suddenly stopped by Richter. The Groundhog was bent over, looking at the ground. Liliac walked around him, focusing her eyes to where he was staring. A small black creature with eight legs was on the ground. Liliac was confused, but the groundhog was utterly surprised. "Do you know what this is?" Richter asked. Liliac shook her head. "This is a spider!"

"What's so strange about a spider?"

"You obviously don't know much about the animal kingdom do you. Spiders are generally much larger, basically taller than us! To find one this small is strange."

Soon, several more spiders began to crawl near the one. They made a very unpleasant sound. Liliac backed up, "I don't think whatever they are saying is friendly…" A figure appeared in the green fog. The outline was human, but no features were really recognizable. Liliac and Richter held their staffs in defense as they watched the spiders swarm. "We need a plan Richter…"

The Groundhog looked around quickly, his mind going in a rush. He saw the water, made a stubborn face, and then began to run. Without question, his tail began to spin like a drill. He jumped into the water headfirst. The water splashed all around the group, drenching the entire group in the foul sick water. The spiders were now washed away, but Liliac was also soaked. Richter walked out of the swamp and started to throw the water off of him. The human looked at him furiously, "Do you even think before you do something?!"

"…No not really…"

The figure drew closer, staying as silent as a ghost. She raised her left hand, an object resting in her grasp. Although the human was not noticeable, the weapon was. It was rounded with a long stick attached to it. The round part was green with a red swirl. Liliac was confused, but Richter was laughing. "You gotta be kiddin me!" he said between chuckles, "You're going to fight us with a lollipop?! What are you going to do, lick it and then stick it to us?!"

The figure said nothing. However, her weapon did make a noise. It appeared to form teeth and began to whirl with speed. Richter's laughter ceased as he backed up in fear. Even Liliac was afraid, "I don't think that's a lollipop!" The figure ran in closer with the its weapon at the ready. Richter stood still in fear but Liliac ran in. Her knives shot out just before it made contact with the blade. The two weapons collided with a series of sparks. This went on and on, each side doing very well. At the last second, Liliac retracted her knives and swung the staff at her head. The figure's head was knocked off, its weapon stopped, and the body fell. Liliac stood in absolute shock. Richter walked over, "Wow… and I thought I would be the first one to kill someone…"

Liliac quickly ran to where the head was. She gently picked it up and looked at it. The decapitated human seemed to be a girl. Her hair was purple near with a small red bow tied near the back of her head. The human shuttered, grieving over what she just did. But, something stopped her train of thought. The head was…moving?! Suddenly the head of the human burst into laughter. Liliac dropped it in quick response.

The head rolled a bit before stopping. Her eye opened, revealing a red iris. She looked up at the fellow human, "Hey, do you mind giving me a hand?" Liliac still looked disgusted and shocked, but she gently grabbed the human's head. The human's body was up and wandering around, but it somehow managed to walk towards Liliac. The girl's body grabbed her head and placed it on. However her head was attached backwards. She giggled before turning her head to the correct position.

"Man, you guys should have seen the look on your face" she said. "It was priceless!"  
While the strange human was laughing at her own jokes, Liliac took notice of the rest of her. The most noticeable thing was that her entire body was in stitches. Her skin was a sickly green, almost as if she was dead. She wore red shorts and this red jacket. Richter stepped up, "Uh, who are you?"

The girl ceased her laughter and bowed. "My name is Oddette…"

"Odd is right…" The royal Groundhog just leaned in beside the other human.

Oddette clearly heard his comment, but she did not let those words get to her. In fact, she was happy. "Aw, thanks! But, you haven't seen anything yet!" The two were confused as Oddette sat down. The stitched girl then removed her head, along with her legs segments. Then, she began to juggle them as if there were common balls! The sight was disturbing to the other two, but Liliac calmed herself. "Oddette… I am Liliac and this is Richter" she began. "We are a part of the organization known as Big Green, where humans and animals try to make peace with each other. We were wondering if you would be willing to join our cause."

The odd human ceased her juggling as she reassembled herself together. She stood up just before putting her head on. "Are we trying to make peace with all of them?" she asked. "Because I'm kind of sick of these two… They're these two Zebras that think they own everything. They find it funny to punish humans…"

Richter let out a groan, "Oh man, PLEASE don't tell me they are here!" The two humans looked at him with some confusion. "Their names are Sparky Black and Sparky White, their basically High Roller's two lackeys, and their nothing but trouble."

Liliac's face formed into a smile. An idea formed into her head that could help the humans, and give a little fun. "Hey Oddette…" she started, "How well in control are you of those spiders…?"

* * *

Sparky Black and Sparky White were walking through the swamp. They were just returning from their raid on the human village. They laughed as they walked, "Man, those humans get easier and easier to scare every day."

"HELP ME!" The two Zebras looked as a groundhog ran out of the fog. He tripped just in front of where the Zebra Brothers were. He stayed on his knees and breathed heavily.

"Groundhog Prince…?!" shouted Sparky W, "What the heck are you doing out here?!"

The royal Groundhog managed to get his breath back and to his feet. "I was digging a few tunnels through here when I saw a human above me" he started. "I was goin to see what she was doing, when she was pulled underground!" The Zebra Brothers gasped quickly. "I looked where she was pulled under, when several more hands popped up. I ran as fast as I could, but I think there are zombies here!"

The Zebra Brothers looked at each other and laughed. Groundhog Prince looked at them with confusion. "Okay, now I know this is a joke" said Sparky W.

"But I admire your acting, you're almost as good as us…" said Sparky B.

The Zebra Brothers walked into the fog casually. The Groundhog Prince quickly ran after them. "I'm tellin ya, there are zombies in these swamps!"

The two Zebras chuckled but suddenly screamed as a sickly green hand burst from the ground. Several more began to unearth as their bodies became visible. Groundhog Prince approached the two, "I told you! You need to make sure that no one enters here again! You need to tell…" Suddenly, a whole zombie burst from the ground. It grabbed the royal Groundhog and bit his head. With a loud scream, the two went back underground. That left the Zebra Brothers alone with the other zombies coming up.

"Oh man, these swamps are filled with zombies!" shouted Sparky W. Fear was obvious in his voice. "We need to tell Master High Roller!"

"Are you insane?!" shouted Sparky B. "He'll make us come back for sure! Let's just get out of here and never tell anyone!"

"Good idea!"

The Zebra quickly grabbed each other's feet and rolled through the swamps. The zombies' arms were run over as they traveled across the landscape like a wheel. Once they were out of view, Liliac appeared through one of the holes. She stepped out, "Okay everyone, their gone."

The hands and zombies quickly disintegrated into several spiders. Richter and Oddette climbed out of the same hole. The Groundhog was rubbing his head, "Did you have to bite so hard…?"

Oddette giggled as her spiders crawled onto her. "You all did very well my lovelies… I love you so much…" Richter backed away as the spiders crawled all over her. Eventually, a few spiders crawled into her hair and the others somehow disappeared into her body. She shook hands with Liliac, "You're an okay girl gray head. At first I didn't think you were the pranking type, but now you're a cool human. I would like to join your cause."

"Hey, don't be forgetting about me" said Richter.

"I won't, and I am glad you two decided to join."

**ODDETTE 042**

**RICHTER 014**

Richter covered his nose and waved his other hand, "Man, you two girls stink."  
Liliac smelled herself and shuttered. Oddette did not mind the smell, but Liliac did. "I guess we can find another water source before I can clean myself off." Oddette giggled as they walked off. Richter was exhausted from tunneling all of those holes for the act. So, they were stuck with walking.


	9. The Warriors of the Sea

Liliac and the two new members continued to walk near the edge of the land. The water was slowly starting to become blue and clear, unlike the green dirty water from the swamps. Soon, the water showed no sign of pollution. Liliac quickly jumped into the water. The stench and dirt began to wash off of her. She popped back up with a sigh of relief, "That is much better…" Oddette looked confused at Liliac. Why did she not remove her clothes? But then the realization hit her, not most humans act like herself. Once she was done, Liliac walked back out. The water was cool and refreshing. It was a shame that they had no time to swim. But then a thought crossed her; there are also animals in the sea as well. "Do you guys think we will ever make peace with the animals in the oceans too?"

Richter made a small chuckle, "Are you kidding?! There is no way you could make peace with the sea kings! What, do you expect them to just, walk onto land?!"

"Well…" Oddette said, "I don't know about walking, but that thing is surfing here…"

The groundhog and the other human looked out into the distance. A large blue wave was heading for shore. To their surprise, there was a small whale surfing on the wave. It was colored a light shade of blue. As it got closer, Liliac seemed to notice that there seemed to be a human riding on top. The wave settled down just before it came to shore. The whale soon came in contact with the land. The human on top was now visible. The human was male with neat black hair and black eyes. He wore a strange coat that seemed water repellent, along with a pair of gray pants that also seemed to be made of the same material. His left hand was covered with a black and yellow glove. He carried a spear that also had what looked like fishing line with hooks attached to the base of the spearhead. He gently placed the harmless end of his weapon down onto the whale's head and then looked down.

"My name is Scale Gray" he spoke. "I will not tolerate that misuse of the oceans."  
Liliac looked astonished at the human. All she did was wash the stench that she received from the swamps off of her. Scale Gray leapt off of the whale and landed on the ground. "You are the ones that are ruining Hidden Kingdom's oceans!" he shouted.

"What…?" Liliac asked. "Wait… Why do you think it was us?"

"I don't need any more of your lies. You humans and animals never treat the ocean right. So you all shall feel what pain you give to the ocean!"

Richter burst in unknown laughter. His friends and their enemy all looked confused. Richter wiped his eyes before settling down. "Okay, I know there are smart humans out there, but obviously you're not one of them" he said. "There are three of us. And there is only one of you."

Scale Gray returned the Groundhog's explanation with his own chuckle. Now it was the Groundhog Prince's turn to be confused. The ocean-loving human grabbed his weapon fiercely. "You think I would come alone, well I didn't! Obsidian, Cancer, let's give some punishment!" On cue of his voice, two animals came out from the water. One was a Crab and the other was an Oyster-Rahma. The crab was orange with gray markings along its sides and back. Her claws were red and blue differentiating. The Oyster-Rahma's shell was black with many white spikes. His back fin was deep purple and his body was blue. They came onto shore next to Scale Gray. The whale ducked back into the water, its shadow showing that it was going out to sea. Without question, the three ocean lovers charged. Cancer charged into Richter, and Oddette was tackled by Obsidian. That left Liliac with Scale Gray.

Richter shoved Cancer off of him to recover. He grabbed his staff carefully as he got into his ready stance. "Alright Crab Cake, let's see what you got!" Cancer clicked her claws in response. The groundhog looked shocked, "You leave my father out of this!" Richter charged the crab with his staff at the ready. Cancer intercepted his staff with her claws. They both tried to overpower the other, but they were at a stalemate.

Oddette grabbed her lollipop chainsaw as it began to whirl. Obsidian gulped as the strange human got closer. She smiled, "It's time to make clam chowder!" Obsidian made a sound that sounded like a scream. His shell slammed shut just before the blade came in contact. The saw bounced harmlessly off of him at each swing. Oddette grunted, attempting to put more force into each swing.

Liliac twirled her staff as a counter for her enemy. Scale Gray swung his spear into her staff, causing them both to be forced back. Liliac grasped her staff and headed towards the other human. Scale Gray, however, had a different tactic. His spear twirled rapidly but it then suddenly stopped. The fishing line flew out from the end and wrapped around Liliac's staff. With a quick tug, the gray-haired human was pulled in. Gray Scale quickly threw a punch that knocked the girl out. Obsidian knocked Oddette's weapon away and quickly hopped over towards Liliac. His shell opened and his real mouth helped her up.  
Oddette, Cancer, and Richter all noticed the human girl and ran towards her. Liliac slowly awakened, but her seeing Obsidian was not pleasant. She screamed aloud when she saw where she was, but calmed down slowly. Scale Gray approached her with his weapon ready, "Stand up and fight!"

Cancer grumbled before stepping in front of the group. Her claws clicked together furiously. Richter stepped beside the female crab. "Yeah I agree with hard shell here, you seriously need to stop."

"I will never stop! Not until I avenge my father!"

Liliac caught onto what he just said. She lost her father, and he lost his as well. Could it be that he is another child? Liliac slowly stood up, Oddette helping her up. "Scale Gray… Who was you father…?"

He huffed but looked at her. Something about her calm voice sounded, familiar. "My father was Mr. No Hands, the great general of Big Green."

The two girls and the groundhog gasped in surprise. Liliac's hunch was correct, Scale Gray was another child. Oddette kept Liliac up, but she was too weak from that punch. She still couldn't believe he would hit a girl. Richter approached the human male, "Hey kid, what were you were going on about earlier?"

"I heard some rumors that there was a traveling group of animal and human mercenaries, ready to ruin all of Hidden Kingdom. I intended to stop them before the world's oceans were ruined."

The Groundhog Prince shook his head, "Ah…Groundhogs and their rumors." Richter walked up and patted the human's back with his free hand. "Listen kid, this human here is not a mercenary. In fact, this girl here is doin the complete opposite. Liliac is the founder of the new Big Green."

Scale Gray gasped, "Big Green…seriously?!"

Richter nodded, "In fact, me and stitches over there are a part of it. We just came back from the swamps, and the little human just wanted to get cleaned off. We were just about to head back."

Scale Gray still looked astonished. It was like someone read his mind and his wishes came true. He grasped his staff, but he kneeled to the ground. "Liliac of Big Green, I wish for you to forgive me for my rough behavior and actions. In which, I wish to join your cause in the new Big Green."

**SCALE GRAY 068**

Scale Gray stood up just as the whale from before rose to the surface. Cancer and Obsidian stood beside their friend. "Cancer, Obsidian, tell my mother that I will be off on a quest."

Cancer clicked her claws with happiness. Obsidian spoke his native language, a series of clicks and other sounds. He sounded sad, but his expression was happy. The whale behind him also made a series of calls. One of them caused a bit of water to distill from behind. A large blue whale rose from the surface of the water. Compared to the one Scale Gray was riding on, this one must be a full grown adult. But this one had this piece of machinery built onto its back. The thing looked like a multileveled tower with three doors, one for each level. The one near the bottom opened up. A woman wearing a form of diving equipment walked out.

"Scale Gray, is something wrong?" she asked. Even though she aged, her voice still sounded young. She caught notice of Liliac, her face grew worrisome. Scale Gray leapt on Obsidian, who launched him into the air. Then, the smaller whale blew his spout, launching him onto the bigger whale. Before Scale Gray could talk, his mother cut him short. "Scale Gray, are you aware of who that girl is?" Her son shook his head. "That is Liliac, the daughter of Lin Chung.

The look on Scale Gray's face was unbelievable. Lin Chung was the grandest warrior in Hidden Kingdom, and he just punched his daughter. However Scale Gray recovered quite fast. "Mom, they are reforming Big Green" he said, "I am joining them."

His mother looked worried. Big Green nearly got everyone inside killed. How High Roller managed to win most of the animal kings and queens was unknown. Ever since her husband was abducted, Scale Gray was never the same. He usually took his anger out on some targets he sets up outside at sea. However, now he seemed calm. He not only made some animal friends, but this could also mean that he could meet other humans as well. She gently hugged her son before he went off with happiness. He jumped onto the smaller whale before he spoke, "My mother has allowed me to join your cause. I hope to be help for the daughter of Lin Chung."

Again, Cancer, Obsidian, and the smaller whale spoke in their language. Cancer seemed frustrated, while the small whale and Obsidian seemed nervous. The human male was confused beyond belief. Richter smacked himself with his palm and spoke up. "Alright, no one else here can understand them so I'm just going to get to it. They want to go with you, kid."

Scale Gray looked shocked at his friends. He looked down at the whale's eyes, he was smiling. The human hugged whatever he could of the whale. "Sammy, I would love it if you would join."

Scale Gray sat up and looked towards Liliac. The boy jumped down and landed with no problem. "Liliac, this is my friend Sammy, son of Sammo Whale. Obsidian is the Oyster-Rahma Prince, and Cancer is the Crab Princess." She bowed to Cancer, Obsidian, and Sammy. "It would be an honor for you to join our cause."

**CANCER 052**

**OBSIDIAN 065**

**SAMMY 058**

Richter stretched his arms and yawned loudly. "Sorry to ruin this moment, but does anyone know where we can stay for the night?"

Lady Green bowed, "I would be honored to have the Groundhog Prince join us for the night." Obsidian launched the new members up onto Sammo. Once he was up there as well, they all climbed into the tower before if collapsed and Sammo dove along with Sammy. Inside, Liliac leaned next to Oddette, "If we're doing this good, I wonder how everyone else is doing."


	10. The Pup and the Cub

The royal winged flyers just perched onto a tree in the Barbed Iron Forest. While Maya was calm and observant, DJ was not. His head constantly rotated, while his flight seemed uneasy. Who could really blame him? No animal or human has escaped from the Roto-Wolf territory without being heavily injured. DJ was so nervous, he almost fell off of the branch he was on. "M-Maya… Are y-you sure that w-w-we should b-be h-here…?"

Maya unrolled the small map she kept and looked at it. "Well DJ, we are technically not in their territory yet" she spoke. "We are still a good few miles away. And yes, if we are going to stop High Roller's reign, we need all of the help we can get."

Maya rolled her scroll back up and tucked it away. DJ gulped before the two took off of the branch. The eagle princess had no trouble with her flying. However, the owl prince was still nervous. The Roto-Wolves were as fierce in the air as they were on the ground. DJ's head constantly moved around, keeping him safe. Maya flew above the tree line. She enjoyed flying high on the winds, feeling the breeze through her feathers, the clouds against her wings. Being able to fly was a dream to most other humans and animals, but for Maya it was a place where no one could touch her. But some could touch her here.

Without warning, several spiked projectiles filled the space behind her. Maya did not see anything, but she heard something. Her head turned, her eyes growing wide at the sight. Before they made contact, a brown blur took the hit. That brown blur was DJ. The royal owl saw the attack, and risked himself for Maya. The eagle princess was still recovering from the shock of the attack. But now, her focus was on her falling friend. With great speed, DJ was snatched from the air and grasped between Maya's talons.

The attackers were a pack of Roto-Wolves. For those that do not know what a Roto-Wolf looks like, imagine a wolf with a helicopter pack on its back. The pack of five animals chased after the two birds. Maya quickly dove before spreading her wings out to level out. She could most likely outrun the pack chasing her, but with DJ too exhausted to fly she had to carry his weight along with hers. Her speed, agility, and maneuvering were all effected.

One Roto-Wolf took lead and growled out orders. He was most likely the Roto-Wolf King. The King along with the four others began to launch their claws at them all. While the eagle was able to dodge a majority of the attacks, a bit of the attacks hit her back. The pain was tolerable but she dropped a few feet before maintaining her level. "Roto-Wolf King" she managed to say, "We are not here to cause trouble or claim your territory, we are simply here to talk!" Her plea only hoped that the King would give into words. However the plea hit deaf ears. The pack continued their constant bombardment of attacks. Maya was hit out of the air.

DJ felt the sudden wind rush against his face. His eyes rolled around before focusing around himself. Maya was unconscious, they were both falling, and the Roto-Wolves still gave chase. Taking in his surroundings, the owl prince took action. He grabbed Maya carefully before steadying his wings. He beat them faster and faster, trying to keep the two up. Unfortunately, his attempts only weakened the crash. The two royal birds now lay in a small crater. Roto-Wolf King along with his pack landed around the two. Princess Maya managed to get up before she was face-to-face with the King. He sniffed her, taking in her scent. The eagle princess stood perfectly still, not wanting to anger the vicious animal king. The King began to growl, but it wasn't from anger. He was communicating.

"I am sorry Roto-Wolf King for trespassing" Maya said, "We were just passing through." Roto-Wolf King pointed to DJ before growling again. "Yes, he is with me as well. Well actually, we would like to ask for your help to…" Roto-Wolf King growled viciously, ceasing Maya's explanation. The entire pack flew off just as DJ regained consciousness. "What…happened?" he asked.

Maya sighed before helping him up. "Unless we defeat the King, I do not think any of the Roto-Wolves will help us."

DJ patted her back as they began to walk out. Maya believed she could succeed, even with an animal as stubborn as the Roto-Wolf. As the pair walked, they couldn't help but feel as if they were being followed. DJ's head turned, but saw nothing. This procedure continued while they remained in the forest. Maya was fully capable of protecting herself, but with the constant attacks DJ needed to help her. The forest edge was soon in view, washing the two royal birds with relief. But once they set a few feet out, a rustling bush became audible. Both birds turned and walked near the bush. Each one extended a wing and pushed a bit of the leaves away. What they saw underneath shocked them.

It was a Roto-Wolf, a pup to be exact. His fur was a dark brown, with white patches on his head and back right leg, along with a gray patch on his back. Despite what the others had, this Roto-Wolf's rotor pack seemed smaller than the others. The pup's eyes were blue and his back left leg had armor plating over it. The pup's eyes met that of Maya's and he soon leapt onto her. DJ was about to act, but noticed two things; Maya was not screaming and the pup was not attacking. The young Roto-Wolf was actually licking the eagle princess's face. The royal bird was laughing at the puppy's actions. However after a few seconds she ceased the laughter and calmly pushed the Roto-Wolf off. The pup barked happily as he wagged his tail.

"DJ, this is Long John" Maya explained. "He says that he is the son of Roto-Wolf King." Long John barked happily in response before licking DJ. The royal owl wiped the slobber from his face in slight irritation. The pup then barked a few more times. "Oh, I am Princess Maya, the Eagle Princess. And this is DJ, the Owl Prince. We are looking for more members for the new Big Green."

The second Maya finished her sentence; Long John pounced on Maya once again. A mixture of barks and licks gave his statement away. DJ rolled her eyes at the action. The royal eagle laughed, "Okay okay! You can join!"

**Long John 061**

It was DJ's turn to remove the young puppy. "Welcome to the team Long John, don't overdo it." The puppy simply barked before his rotor began to rotate. The trio took to the skies before heading to their destination.

* * *

A bright pink blur raced across the open plains. The pink blur had a small dash of orange as it zigzagged around trees and rocks. The blur stopped after speeding up the side of a tree trunk. Pink Spec and Sea Salt's head popped out of the bushes. The cheetah princess scanned the area, but the young cat's attention was on something else. The large castle in the distance caught his attention because of its…unique qualities. The Cat Prince could not help but to laugh. Pink Spec giggled at the castle design as well. But something was off, this was Lion Castle, but where were the lions?

With another quick dash, the two cats escaped the tree's branches and hid inside a clove of rocks. Before she could make another move, a loud snoring sound caught Pink Spec off guard. Resting against the other side of the rock was a sleeping lion. As the cheetah's eyes moved around, she saw several lions asleep everywhere. They each were laid in a different position and seemed quite round for Lions. Their snoring was hurting not only her ears, but of her friend's as well. However even through the loud snores, she heard the clink of metal. Sea Salt's tail pointed to the castle itself. With one more burst of speed, the duo managed to climb the wall and into the castle.

Pink Spec was amazed by the inside of the castle. It seemed like the Lions put most forms of exercise and stashed it inside. Sea Salt quickly grabbed the cheetah by the skin on her neck and dragged her out of view. Before she could question why, a black iron ball landed with a small crater where Pink Spec originally stood. She slowly turned to Sea Salt, "I… I owe you one…" The Cat Prince mewed but another iron ball was thrown. This one crashed into the wall behind them. The two cats ducked while keeping the silence. "I know your there, you might as well come out." The voice was feminine, but strong.

Knowing that hiding would not be a good option, Pink Spec and Sea Salt both rose from their hiding place. The voice belonged to a Lion, a different looking Lion. Her body was different shades of tan, but that wasn't what was strange. Compared to the Lions outside, this one was obviously thin. Her eyes were red and blue while her tail has diamond-shaped, unlike the common heart-shaped tails of common Lions. Sea Salt was the first to speak, "…Friend…?"

The Lion smiled, "Yes, I am a friend." Sea Salt happily ran up and began to rub his head against the lion. "We are all cats here…" The Lion's gaze turned to Pink Spec, "I welcome you to Lion Castle Cheetah Princess. I am Kettle, the Lion Princess. What brings you here on this fine day?"

Pink Spec bowed in respect for the royal animal. "Kettle, me and my friend am on a mission. Have you ever heard of Big Green?"

Kettle placed a claw on her mane as she scratched it. "I do not recall entirely. However I believe I have heard my father speak of it before. Was it not a peace organization bringing humans and animals together?"

The royal Cheetah nodded, "Yes, well it was. But now me and many others are trying to reform it. We would like to know if you would be willing to join."

Kettle was silent. Things have been getting rough for her life. Ever since High Roller became in control again, things at Lion Castle have changed. Every day all of the Lions, including her father the King, eat a lot of sweets that High Roller sends. Her people have gotten large and lazy, doing nothing but eat and sleep all day. She has been the only Lion that maintains exercise. In fact, she does so much that her figure has slimmed down. However, if she joined their noble cause, she could set an example for her people and the rest of Hidden Kingdom. Kettle's face lit up with an idea.

"I am willing to join, however on one condition." Pink Spec and Sea Salt gave the Lion confused looks as she moved to the center of the room. She picked up a ball and then spun it on her finger. "You must beat me in a game of basketball." A quick toss shot the ball in Pink Spec's chest. The throw was not anticipated, so the cheetah fell back from the impact. The ball rolled in front of Sea Salt, whose eyes lit up. He happily pounced on the ball, causing it to roll around with him on it. The scene was adorable, Kettle couldn't help but to laugh. The royal cheetah grabbed another ball and began to dribble in place, "Okay Kettle… I'll accept your challenge…"

Pink Spec ran with great speed to the opposing hoop. She stopped to take the shot, but there was no longer a ball in her paws. She turned to see Kettle facing her with the ball in her claws. A simple toss threw it into the opposite hoop. A scoreboard against the wall changed; Lion: 2, Challenger: 0 The cheetah growled before getting the ball. She took it slow this time, but Kettle was surprisingly faster than what most Lions were. There was no way to get around her without losing the ball. That was before Pink had an idea. Using her tail, she slung the ball over Kettle and into the hoop. The scoreboard now read they were tied at the moment. Kettle walked over and grabbed the ball, "First one to 20 points wins…"

The game really intensified after that. Kettle pulled out every trick she knew to get past the cheetah. And every trick worked. Every attempt Pink Spec attempted to do ended in failure. She had no idea where Sea Salt was or why he wasn't helping. Soon enough, Pink Spec was exhausted. She never felt this tired in her life, maybe it was she was only used to running. The Lion Princess walked to the hoop and raised the ball up, "Any last words before I score the final point?"

Before the cheetah could answer, the scoreboard sounded a loud buzzer. The two looked at the board with great shock. The score was Lion: 18, Challenger: 20. The two had no idea how that happened until the points continued to raise to 22. They looked to the hoop seeing the young Cat Prince. He was laughing as he rolled around with the ball. Then, with a quick tumble the ball was thrown into the hoop. Kettle knew that wasn't regulation, but it was so darn adorable and the game was very fun. She hasn't had a fun game in a long time. She placed the ball down and extended her claw to help Pink Spec up. Once the cheetah was up, they properly shook paws.

"I have not had a fun game like this in years" the Princess of Lions spoke. "You and your friend obviously show that you are loyal to your word and hope to bring peace. I would be honored to join the new Big Green."

**Kettle 079**

Sea Salt stopped playing with the ball, only to now play with Kettle. The oddly colored cheetah collapsed on the ground, "I have no idea how you can play an entire game of basketball, and still play with the kitten."

"Well exercising every day helps raise your energy levels" Kettle explained. Another thought made her giggle, "And you never really gave me much of a challenge. It was fun, but very easy…" Sea Salt joined in with the Lion's laughter as Spec pouted.


	11. The Hybrid

The day was bright, but the forest was dark. Misty and Red Ray slowly traveled through this dank forest. Yaksha carefully raised her lover above the ground, her eyes scanning the area for danger. Misty's eyes were emitting a faint blue glow, illuminating the entire area. That was one thing Red Ray liked about his sister, as hard-headed as she is her eyes can be more than useful. He held out the map, checking through it. "This forest doesn't seem to be labeled as anything" said the male twin.

"And that means…" Misty loved her brother, but sometimes he needed to use simpler terms.

"It means the forest has no name." Red Ray sighed with slight irritation. His sister can be completely dimwitted at times. The trio continued down what path they could find. It was very dark, and with the passing hours what light helped would soon vanish. Yaksha was getting very tense. She tightened her grasp on Red Ray's head. The pain wasn't much but some stress was being put on. The male twin simply winced silently. He loved Yaksha, even if she was a bit overprotective.

A small snap sounded, catching everyone's attention. Misty's eyes began to spark with blue electricity. Her brother saw this, "No Misty!" His words quickly stopped the sparks. "You know what could happen…"

Misty sighed as they continued. Misty may have her father's ability with no limit, she has little control. One time she got so bad at the other village children that she nearly destroyed the village! But her eyes were out of control. The local doctor said she was lucky that she wasn't permanently blinded. Red Ray has been watching over her since that day.

Yaksha suddenly stopped, releasing the grip she had on her lover. Red Ray fell to the ground, only to see Yaksha suddenly running off. "Yaksha come back!" shouted the twin before chasing her. Misty did not expect this, so she was left in the dark. But she charged after them anyway. The path split as it continued. Yaksha and Red Ray went left, but Misty did not see them; she went right instead. Her eyes glowed brighter and brighter, but there was still no sign of her dear brother. However she hit something, but passed right through it. Her mind went numb for a few seconds before returning back.

"Okay…that was weird." Misty continued to walk when she saw some visible light. It wasn't a reflection of her light; it was from another source. Her eyes began to dim as the light in front increased. Soon, the forest no longer looked sinister. The trees were healthy shades of brown and green, the ground had proper amounts of vegetation, the light made everything seem…happy. "Okay, now this is getting weird." Misty did not trust what she was seeing. But her distrust went down as she saw a familiar figure.  
It was Red Ray, but without Yaksha. Misty quickly ran faster to catch up to him. The twin was not moving, just standing. "Red…" The moment Misty touched her dear brother, he began to melt. "…Ray…?" She tried to hold him, but his body melted to the point where he slipped between her fingers. The trees around her began to wilt and die as the sky became dark and empty. Even the ground appeared to be lifeless. Soon, her brother was nothing but a colorful puddle. The fear of losing her brother suddenly became strangely high. Tears began to form in her eyes as she loomed over the puddle. "Red Ray…no…"

Dark and broken laughter ran through the dead trees. Misty looked up and around her. Several strange monsters appeared enclosed around her. They appeared to be like a sludge pile but were also clear as water. Their faces had about six red eyes and their mouths had long tongues dripping with drool. Misty was still depressed, but her sadness quickly turned to anger. Her eyes sparked with blue electricity. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH MY BROTHER?!" She blasted away at the closest one to her. It disappeared with a loud deep scream, but another one reappeared. The girl twin did not stop blasting away. When a monster disappeared, another one appeared. "STOP AND FIGHT YOU COWARDS!" Just then, all of the creatures merged together into one large monster. Misty backed away slightly, but her anger replaced her fear. "YOU WILL PAY FOR WHAT YOU DID!" However before Misty could deliver her planned attack, her eyes began to spark like crazy. She screamed in terrible pain as she fell to her knees. Blue lighting struck all around her, but none hit the monster. Her vision was getting blurry, very blurry. "No…please…" The monster chuckled before collapsing overtop of its victim.

Misty regained consciousness, but her vision was black. "What…what happened…?" she asked hazily, "W-Where am I…?" She felt herself get up, but was pushed back down. Laughter surrounded her. She recognized that laughter, it was the laughter of the children at the village.

"Look at the freak!" one said. "She can't see anymore!" Misty felt a kick to her stomach, a wave of pain passed through her. She struggled to get up. "Not so tough now are you?!" A kick to the side forced her back down. The laughter of the children increased in volume. All other noises seemed to vanish. "Please…don't hurt…" Her plea was cut short as another blow was delivered to her head. Tears were streaming from her eyes, "Brother…help…"

* * *

Red Ray stopped running after several minutes of doing so. He lost Yaksha, for whatever reason she ran for. His breathing began to calm after a while. "Misty…are you…are you okay…?" he asked. His question hit nothing but air. He heard no response, did not hear her breathing, or saw the faint light of her eyes. The twin turned around, seeing nothing behind him on the path. It was extremely hard to see, but he could tell where the basic path was. "Misty…?" Red Ray backed up slowly, his eyes darting like crazy. He has never been alone before. He felt so scared. "M-M-Misty…if this is s-s-some p-prank I w-will…" His sentence stopped. The twin felt something against him. It felt like thick sludge. Before Red Ray could turn around and see what it was, it covered his entire body.

Red Ray awoke to see that he was surrounded by darkness. Everywhere he looked, he saw nothing but pitch black darkness. "W-Where am I…?" Screams of pain rung in his ears; the twin recognized those screams, it was his sister's. "Misty!" Red Ray tried to run, but he seemed like he was going nowhere. He ran faster and faster, tears falling from his eyes at the same rate. The screams got louder as they sounded like they came from everywhere. Red Ray fell over, too exhausted from running. "MISTY!"

* * *

Yaksha continued running down the path, avoiding several bushes, fallen trees, and other plant life. She usually never left her lover, but something was drawing her away. The strange creature stopped before an open cave. Her eyes blinked a bit before she shook her head. Yaksha looked around, but a figure stepped out of the cave. "A Yaksha… what are you doing here?" it asked. The voice was definitely feminine. Yaksha chittered in her own language, hoping that the figure would understand. Unfortunately, the figure did. Although she didn't say much, the language of the Yaksha was short in words but long in translation. Two long flowing tendrils grew out of the figure's head, scaring Yaksha a bit. "So those monsters think they can hurt the only family I have left…" The figure's voice changed to where it sounded like a woman and a man speaking at once.

Without question the figure moved with incredible speed. Yaksha attempted to chase after her but her attempts were futile. The figure stopped, seeing Red Ray crouched on the ground in tears. Yaksha wanted to get him, but she was stopped by the figure. "You shall harm him no longer!" The figure shouted before attacking. The long spiked tendrils smacked the creature's face. The monster turned to growl and roar at her, but was instead greeted with another attack. Finally, the figure's tongue extended and whirled around. The monster was blown through the treetops and out of their way. Yaksha quickly ran to Red Ray's side and cuddled him. The figure simply glanced down before taking notice of the blue sparks in the distance. "Take him back to our cave" the figure said. "We still have business to attend to…"

* * *

Red Ray moaned with slight pain. His head throbbed as his vision began to clear. He felt the warmth of a fire beside him. The place he was at had no sense of danger at all. If anything, it was safety. Once his vision cleared, the twin's eyes were filled with a light blue arm. Yaksha was hugging her lover tightly. "Yaksha!" the boy shouted as he returned the hug. The blue creature returned to her lover's head. "Where did you go?!" His eyes widened, "Oh no…Misty!"

"No…not yet…" Red Ray turned his head to see Misty lying down beside him. He rolled over and nudged her shoulder. "No mom…five more minutes…" she said while turning over. Red Ray sighed before glancing up at his lover. Yaksha seemed to smile as he arm went around near her backside. With a quick yelp, Misty stood up. "Okay, who pinched my…Red Ray!"

The two twins embraced in a big hug. Yaksha extended her arms to cover them both. The trio giggled with happiness form their reunion. However Misty was the one to break the sweet moment. She punched Red Ray slightly, "Why weren't you dare protecting me?"

"What in Hidden Kingdom could you be possibly talking about?!" her brother shouted.

"Those children from the village, I couldn't see and I was getting attacked by them; why didn't you help me?!"

The male twin was confused. "Why were you using your powers? You know you have little control over it."

"You were both attacked." The new voice scared the twins. They have never heard it, so they were on their toes. Both heads turned simultaneously to see the strange voice. The figure was now brightened by the warm yellow glow of the fire. Her skin appeared to be freckled and somewhat pale. Her eyes were a very bright blue, while her hair was black. Her outfit consisted of long black pants, a pair of boots, and a unique looking shirt that had a combined decal of a heart and a skull at once. The two kids cleared their eyes before looking at the woman once more. "MOM?!"

The woman laughed, but not that much. "No you two, I am not your mother" she spoke. "But I am your mother's cousin."

Misty leaned over, "So what does that make her to us…?"

"My name is Lovely" the relative continued, obviously wanting to change the conversation.

"Hello Lovely" Red Ray said, receiving a few giggles from Misty. He rolled his eyes before continuing. "My name is Red Ray, and this is my twin sister Misty." Misty ceased her laughter and bowed at the sound of her name.

"It is very nice to meet you" Lovely responded. "Now, I must say you two do take the spitting image of your parents. Why were you in this forest?"

"We're looking for more members."

Lovely raised an eyebrow, "New members…?"

Misty stepped in. She knew her brother would take forever to tell her. So she will shorten it for the sake of her sanity. "You know the old Big Green that got destroyed? Well we and a few others are looking for new heroes to join and stop High Roller." Red Ray sighed, she was right but she didn't have to interrupt him.

Lovely looked astonished. She knew of High Roller, that is why she stayed within the forest. She has even heard of her dear cousin's capture. But now her dear relatives are going about, putting themselves in danger. They needed someone to watch over them. "You two should be more careful" she said. "Are there more members?" The twins nodded, filling the older human with even more shock. "Then I must ask to join to help protect you all." Misty and Red Ray looked at each other. No one has demanded entry before. But, who were they to turn down family. They nodded in confirmation, bringing a smile to Lovely's face.

**LOVELY 039**

As the night went on, the twins grew tired. Having only one bed, they crawled up beside Lovely instead. Yaksha got off of her lover's head, but Lovely stopped her. "I can keep watch" she said. "You need your rest as much as them." Yaksha smiled before tucking away in Red Ray's arms. The warmth of the fire was tempting, but Lovely stayed wide awake. "No one will ever harm you again…"


	12. The Reunion

While Liliac, the twins, and the royal eagle were gone for a few days, the ruined base of Big Green was quiet. The Brave One never left the old commander's side, one because he was blind and two that she did not trust the new members that much. Raya and Jade Claw believed they could be useful and clear away some of the rubble. The rabbit princess could only manage the smaller pieces, while the Liger managed the much larger pieces. The cowardly liger cleared away a large piece, but uncovered something else. It seemed to be a hidden room that led down. It was strange because they were on the ground floor, nothing should be built beneath that.

"What down there?" asked Raya. She stood beside her friend very close. The two monkeys in Big Green joined the two scared animals. Brave One hissed at the door, causing the old Commander to be alert. Jade Claw, however, was not scared of it. He was usually scared all the time, but his feline side drew in his curiosity. He walked closer to the door, his claws mere inches from the hatch. The other three animals backed away as the Liger performed the action. As the hatch opened, Brave One continued to hiss. Jade Claw was too large to fit inside the room. However an idea struck him.

"Uh…R-Raya…" the Liger said. He did not want to put his friend in danger, but his curiosity is getting too high. "C-C-Could you g-go inside p-please…?"

Raya, as she always was, immediately shook her head in denial. However she regretted her motion. Jade Claw looked down in complete sadness. She did not want to see her newfound friend so sad. Although nervous, she slowly climbed inside. The room was dark, the only source of light was the way in. But the little rabbit still wandered through the room. "R-Raya…are y-you alright…?"

"Raya al-" Raya stopped because she bumped into something. Standing in front of her, was this large piece of metal. She couldn't see what it was, however a red eye flashed on. "SYSTEMS REBOOTED PROPERLY" it said. Its body made some strange noises as it began to unfold. Raya backed up as it reached its full form. The second eye appeared and moved down to the rabbit. "INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT!"

Raya's ear was grabbed by Jade Claw, who held her extremely close. The door burst from the floor, the thing beneath finally unearthing. It was a mechanical monster. Its body was square and segmented into four levels. The lowest segment contained two black wheels. The third segment contained a row of white spikes. The second segment had its two arms. One arm was a long claw while the other was a cannon-like weapon mounted on a series of joints. In the middle of its "chest" was a skull-shaped object with horns. Its first segment was obviously its head. Two pointed metal bands represented teeth. It had two eyes, one was square and one was triangle. The triangular eye was red with a target mark in it. Its head had three objects attached to it; a electrode rod attached to the right side, a large metal extrusion on the top, and a small umbrella-shaped object to the left.

The metal monster's eyes looked around the room, scanning each animal. "THREATS ANAYLZED: LIGER, RABBIT, MONKEY, AND MONKEY" it said. "THREAT LEVEL 5, INICIATING COMBAT MODE." Its arm revolved around as its cannon prepared to fire. Brave One hissed as she pulled the old commander back. The robot rolled closer towards the remaining two animals, Jade Claw and Raya. Their fear took over, both animals began to cower. However the liger shielded the rabbit from the oncoming enemy. The Liger Prince knew that his hide was thick, so most of the attacks not do much damage to him or his friend.

The robot saw this. Something literally clicked in his brain. "LIGER ANd RABBIT SHOWING NO HOSTILITY, THREAT LEVEL DOWN TO LEVEL 2." The mechanical beast turned and rolled towards the two monkeys. He observed them carefully as well. The pink one was doing nothing but hissing, a tactic most animal use to make enemies go away. The red monkey had bandages wrapped around his eyes, indicating that he could not see. "MONKEY 1 SHOWING SIGNS OF HOSTILITY BUT NO SIGNS OF ACTUAL DESIRE FOR VIOLENCE. MONKEY 2 SHOWS SIGNS OF NO SIGHT. THREAT LEVEL 0 NOW ACTIVE, SWITCHING TO OBSERVATION MODE TO COLLECT DATA." The weapon systems on the robot ceased function. The room now held air of ease instead of conflict. Brave One ceased her hissing as Jade Claw and Raya eased up. The old commander walked forward, "Salutations my friend, do you mind explaining your actions?"

The robot made a sound that seemed to mimic that of a gasp. "VOICE RECOGNITION SYSTEM ACTIVATED, HERO MATCH CONFIRMED: COMMANDER APE TRULY." More sounds were emitted, something that sounded like he was clearing his throat if he had one. "Commander Ape Truly" the robot said in a more calm voice. "I have a message for you from Woo the Wise."

Ape Truly gasped, "Woo…my old friend… He is alive?"

The robot shook his head, "Negative. Woo the Wise is deceased. However he before he passed and finished my construction, he downloaded his final words into my memory if I ever find you. ACCESSING DATABANKS."

The robot shook for a bit, scaring the animals for a little bit. He stopped, "Dear Commander Ape Truly." The old commander was surprised, the voice matched Woo's entirely. "It is a shame that all of our hard work in forming this organization falls into ruin. I partially blame myself and my inventions from not being able to help you more. I am aware that High Roller has most likely sent out a reward for our heads, so this will be my final message. I have created a self-sentient mechanical sparring robot. As on now he is offline, but he is most likely online if you are hearing this. I originally intended to design the mechanical marvel when Big Green was still up and running. He has preprogrammed every tactic and strategy that Big Green has. His abilities match those of some of the members of Big Green as well. I have called him Cyber. I hope that you find more use for him than to just collect dust in my hidden room. Although I may have passed away, and science will decompose my body, it fills my spirit with happiness that Cyber could make a difference if any. Your dear friend, Woo the Wise."

With that, the robot, or rather Cyber stopped. Although his face did not seem to have much for emotion, his right square eye showed at least the common method of sadness. "I may not fully understand the emotion as well as you, but I am saddened as well to feel my creator created me too late. I feel like I have no proper purpose but to wait hundreds of years for my body to rust…"

Raya lost all fear of Cyber. She hopped over to him, gently placed her ears around the cold metal body, and gave the robot a gentle hug. Cyber looked down, "STRANGE FORM OF ACTION RECOGNIZED: A HUG. PRESUME COUNTER ACTION." Cyber lowered his two arms and tightened his hold on Raya. It slightly hurt, but Raya knew this would help Cyber feel better. He released her, Raya hopping back to her original place, beside her scared Liger friend. Her absence was replaced with the Commander's and Brave One's.

"Cyber, you have more than an opportunity to help" he said. "As we speak, there are several animals and humans venturing out into Hidden Kingdom, searching for new heroes for the new Big Green. You are more the welcome to join the new cause of peace." Ape Truly stopped because he felt his arm being pulled. His head turned in the direction of Brave One. She wished he could see that way she would have a better chance at showing him what she wants.

"ACTION RECOGNIZED" started Cyber, "It appears that the young monkey wishes to be a member as well."

Commander Ape Truly gently laughed before patting his dear guide on the head. "Brave One, you have more than enough rights to be a member here. You saved me from my people, stayed by my side to help with my disadvantage, and provided more than enough assistance to those new here. I proclaim both you and Cyber, heroes of the new Big Green!"

**CYBER 106**

**BRAVE ONE 004**

Cyber's antenna moved slightly, his targeting eye flashing, "RADAR DETCTS MULTIPLE SPECIES CLOSING IN."

"Must be…others" Raya spoke, "With…new…members."

* * *

Sammo and Sammy Whale rose from the surface of the water. One the larger whale came to shore, his mouth opened. Liliac, along with all of the heroes that stayed with her, left out of the open mouth. Once the last hero was out, Sammo said goodbye once more to his son before sinking. Pink Spec arrived with Sea Salt on her back. The cheetah's head turned to see the Lion Princess trying to catch up. Kettle placed her claws on her knees and panted lightly. She could run, but not as much as a Cheetah. On the other side, Maya landed with the Owl Prince and Roto-Wolf Prince. However Long John Prince stayed in the air. Their massive converge summon the same spider demon from before. He crawled onto shore, Liliac approaching him at the same rate.

"It appears that you and your friends were able to get more members" the demon said. Liliac nodded, feeling very confident with herself. The demon chuckled, "You may have more members, but the truth still remains. Everyone else can enter, but you." Liliac's smile turned to a frown. She was not expecting this. Before she could make any form of protest, the demon turned to return to the water. "It is a shame that the daughter of Lin Chung himself cannot find peace. I expected that the child of the noblest warrior in Hidden Kingdom would be better, or maybe Lin Chung is not as noble as everyone believes."

That was the last straw. Liliac charged into the demon's face with a hard punch. No one was expecting that to happen. The spider demon's face cover flew off. As he raised his head, everyone gasped. Obsidian hid within his shell and kept it tight. The demon's face was human, with normal looking hair and a common mouth. But, his face was covered with nine eyes, eight of which were yellow as one was red. The demon felt that the cover was no longer on, each eye become filled with rage. The enraged spider demon roared, his mouth filling with several fangs. He removed his right glove, revealing his hand to have a long set of claws. He pounced onto Liliac, pinning her down with his gloved hand. "You shall die for revealing my face!"

The claws were getting dangerously close to the human's neck. They dripped with poison; the drops landing on the ground burned the grass. "LILIAC NO!" The enraged demon was knocked back by a barrage of black spots. Pink Spec was flinging every spot she had on, but more seemed to appear as they were thrown. Everyone did not pay attention to this fact, they were trying to prevent the demon from getting Liliac. Every animal, even Obsidian, circled Yīxiàn xīwàng. The demon's many eyes shifted around at them. Every hero was in some form of a fighting stance. Liliac was behind a wall of humans and animals alike. He turned to return to the water, but Sammy rose from the surface, blocking his last path. "You are all FOOLS!" he shouted. "Following her will repeat Big Green's faith, why do you listen to her?!"

"Listen pal" said Richter, "If I had any choice, I would be the leader."

Richter was punched by Misty. Pink Spec spoke up, "We may not see what you see in Liliac, but I will tell you what I see. I see a human girl that lost her father to the same man that brought down Big Green. She is willing to put her life at risk for others to do what is right. She may not treat everyone the same way, or know what she probably got herself into, but she's my best friend…no…she's my sister. I will follow her to the very end if I have to!"

The other animals and humans all said their agreements. The demon shifted his gaze once more. A small whirl filled the air, causing everyone to turn. Cyber approached shore shortly after riding overtop of the water. On his back was Jade Claw, and in his hands were Brave One, Raya, and Ape Truly. The demon's angry gaze returned, "You…you went…you went to Big Green…?" Liliac now stood, but that moment was short. The demon rushed straight through the barrier around him and sliced his claws on the human's body. Liliac's black outfit was torn with four deep gashes on her side. Pink Spec was the first to arrive beside her. Her dear sister was quivering while sweat began to form on her brow. With everyone focusing on the human, Yīxiàn xīwàng made his way back to the water.  
Cyber rolled up, a red light projecting all over Liliac's body. "SCANS INDICATE POSION WITHIN HUMAN'S BLOODSTREAM" he said. "POISON DANGER LEVEL AT LEVEL 9, POSION WILL DESTROY HUMAN'S BODY IN PRECISELY 2 HOURS."

"Yīxiàn xīwàng, stop this at once!" The demon stopped and turned towards the old Commander. "There was no reason for you to attack that poor human."

"Ape Truly, they snuck past me and entered Big Green, especially that girl" he said coldly. "She deserves what is coming to her."

"My friend, I understand that you told her she could not, but it was not her that led them into Big Green. Brave One led them there, and they explained to me everything."

"But that still does not mean that…" Yīxiàn xīwàng could not finish his sentence. He was pummeled by a pink blur. Raya sat around his neck, rapidly beating on his head and face. She was scared, but she needed to do this. "Get. Poison. Out!" The demon threw her off, but she was replaced with several more. Richter and Cancer charged the demon, grabbed hold of one arm each, and pinned him to the ground. Long John landed on the demon's chest and growled in his face. Misty approached the demon with sparking eyes, "Fix my friend or get the zapping of a life time!"

Yīxiàn xīwàng looked at his attackers. Each one attacked not to defeat or kill him, but just to convince him to help their friend. His gaze shifted to those around the poisoned human. All of them were trying to find some way to ease her body. Liliac's face seemed to take a purple flush as he body rapidly shivered. Pink Spec curled around her with gentle tears falling from her eyes. The demon sighed, the scene was too depressing. Even a human like her shouldn't die of such cause. She was only trying to help her friends. The demon got up, the group strangely allowing him to get up. Yīxiàn xīwàng crawled towards the poor human. Pink Spec and a few others stepped up to protect Liliac. However the demon raised his claws. They glowed a gentle purple. He placed his glowing claws against the gray-haired human's wounds. Liliac cringed in her unconscious state, but the purple flush of color soon drained from her face. Her shivering stopped as her breathing calmed. The glow faded as Yīxiàn xīwàng removed his hand. Liliac's eyes opened, her body slowly sitting up afterwards.

"What…happened…?" Liliac was not greeted with a response, but a hug. Pink Spec hugged her dear sister tightly, tears now flowing like rivers. Sea Salt and Oddette joined in with her hug, even Obsidian tried to comfort her. Liliac returned the hugs the best she could but took notice of the demon. All of his eyes were focused on her. The human had no idea what he was expressing, but she knew she had to make things right. She slowly got up, using her friends to help.

"Yīxiàn xīwàng" she spoke. Pink Spec stood up to hold her dear human sister. "I am sorry that I have disobeyed your direct requests from entering Big Green. But if you will allow, I will stay out here while my friends enter Big Green."

Everyone immediately started arguing against her action. Liliac struggled, but she held up a hand to silence the others. "Everyone, I am the only reason you are not allowed inside. We cannot all stay out here together; we could be captured or worse. I would rather be captured myself than let the rest of you suffer."

While the others argued, the demon's sigh of relief was strangely audible to everyone around him. The group stopped talking immediately. He placed the cover back onto his head, shielding his true looks from everyone. "A true leader always puts their team before themselves" he said. "You truly show true signs of a great leader. Although you still have no true sense of peace, I will allow you to enter Big Green for one day."

Liliac bowed in respect just before she was tightly hugged by her cheetah friend. Everyone else was filled with relief. Yīxiàn xīwàng faced the water before raising his hand. A series of rocks rose from the surface, making a makeshift trail to the ruined Big Green. Obsidian, Cancer, and Sammy would sleep underwater. Scale Gray stayed with Sammy to make more room for the others. Most of the heroes shared rooms, Long John claiming one for his own self. With their day full with enough excitement, they retired to whatever rooms that were intact. The sun glistening off of the water and what remained of the roof.


	13. Alien Helper

The sun of a new day rose upon Hidden Kingdom. The light rays shined down easily through most of the rooms and halls of the abandoned Big Green. The rising morning sun woke the new heroes' right out of their drowsy state. Liliac was the first to awake, despite her previous day injury. Her dear cheetah friend stepped after her. "Spec" Liliac started, "Do you really find me as your…sister?"

Pink Spec was expecting that question. "Oh course I do" she explained. "We grew up together; you're the first friend I had before I met any other cheetahs. I was an only child, it was lonely. But when you kept visiting every day and spending most of your time with me, I started seeing you as family. Liliac, no matter what you are, you will always be my sister."

The gray-haired human hugged her proclaimed sister. She too felt the same bond, but never really considered the option. One by one, the remaining heroes awoke. Raya hopped out just before Jade Claw plopped onto the floor. The doors were giving him trouble. Long John awoke with a long stretch and a yawn. He slowly walked out but bumped into the Liger. Upon seeing the intimidating form of Jade Claw Lion, the Roto-Wolf Prince cowered into the corner of the room, eyes glued to the jade liger. The Liger Prince shivered in fear of the Roto Wolf pup, knowing all too well the ferocity of those beasts. Pink Spec, who had been standing beside Jade Claw Lion, glanced at Long John.

"Hey, what about me?!" she protested, claws at her chest, "I'm a cat too! I can be a scary cat!" She added once she realized what was going on.

"You…scary…?" Misty shouted abruptly, "That'd be a first!" Yaksha slapped her lover's sister upside the head for her rude behavior. Misty rubbed the back of her head to ease the pain.

"Not scary? I can be scary! Just watch this!" she exclaimed proudly. The Cheetah Princess readied herself in a fighting stance, claws out, faced twisted as she loomed over Long John. Tension and anticipation filled the atmosphere as everyone waited eagerly for the display of terror. "Raaaoooorrrr!" It is to be noted that Cheetahs were famous for their speed and not for their roaring ability. The Roto-Wolf Prince stared blankly at Pink Spec, almost mocking her.

Misty and Richter began to laugh loudly but Yaksha's arms swiftly wrapped themselves around their mouths, muffling their laughs. Red Ray felt a little embarrassed for Pink Spec. Princess Maya and DJ just stood there, trying to comprehend what had just happened before them. The Cat Prince and Raya ended up giggling amongst themselves quietly whilst Liliac was pondering as to how she should put it to her cheetah friend.

"Pink Spec...Funny!" Raya giggled. The Cheetah Princess held her head high, despite the small insult accidentally said by the royal rabbit. Liliac approached her. "Pink Spec…you aren't really the…'scary'…type" Liliac stated, if not a little meekly.

"Pfft, whatever!" Pink Spec said, head still held high and right paw in front of the grey haired girl's face. "It seems that none of you…" With that, the Cheetah Princess eyed Long John, "…realize how ferocious I really am! C'mon Liliac, we're going to train" Her pink spotted tail found its way around the girl's waist and she was lifted off of the ground with ease. "Ferocious, scary training!" She turned around abruptly to the Roto Wolf Prince, who flinched at her sudden action, her eye scanning him. And with that she spun around once more and practically marched out of the room, with a dizzy Liliac in tow.  
Yaksha collapsed, her long arms unraveling and lying on a heap on the floor. Red Ray instinctively rushed towards her and picked her up gingerly as his fraternal twin and the royal groundhog resumed their laughter. "We have to tell zombie girl!" Misty said gleefully to Richter. The two scurried off immediately to find Oddette. The yellow eyed boy rolled his eyes and shook his head in disapproval before returning to caring for his hat-like lover.

"And I thought humans were strange" Princess Maya stated, a little confused as to what had just occurred. DJ merely nodded as he watched the Rabbit Princess and Sea Salt comfort Long John and Jade Claw Lion.

* * *

Pink Spec was lying when she said she was going to train. She was saddened by the fact that no one found her scary, and she needed comfort. The cheetah knew her friend would come if it involved sparring, but like she said before they were sisters. They cared for each other no matter what. Richter came out after telling the ridiculous tale to Oddette. He decided to listen if any other Groundhogs or animals heard about them.

A few hours passed and the two sisters began to actually spar. Believe it or not, the spider demon was watching them secretly. He was amazed by the human's leadership yesterday, so he wanted to see what other things this girl was capable of. Right as Liliac was about to hit Pink Spec with her staff, a mound of dirt separated the two. Richter popped up, "Did you guys feel that?!" The two female creatures shared a similar confused look. The Groundhog Prince looked between them and slapped himself in the face. "Oh right…you two don't know the dirt like I do."

Princess Maya landed beside the trio with Sea Salt on her back. "What's going on?" she asked as Sea Salt made his way off of her back.

"There was this sudden quake over near the plains!" Richter explained. "But what was strange was that it only lasted a few seconds. It was like something crashed into the ground or somethin…"

While the other four expressed confusion, Pink Spec expressed shock. Liliac quickly came onto that but was cut off. "Richter" Pink Spec said with uneasiness, "What area of the plains did the quake happen?"

The royal Groundhog pondered for a bit. "Eh…I would say around Cheetah Castle. But it's not much to worry ab-" Richter never finished his statement because Pink Spec immediately ran away. Liliac tried to run after her close friend, but she could not match up even in the slightest. Princess Maya helped Sea Salt onto her back before grasping the human gently in her talons and flying after their teammate. The gray-haired human struggled in the eagle's grasp, but Sea Salt's meow somehow calmed her.

They only managed to fly a few miles out before Maya started to struggle. Sea Salt looked down in fear, wrapping his tail around his ride. The eagle princess tried to stay up, but she was not used to carrying that much weight. Liliac dropped to the ground, landing on her feet. Maya was doing the same, only she did not seem as prepared. Before she hit however, Liliac caught her. The cat prince jumped off before he could cause his friend more harm. The human slung her teammate's wing over her shoulder, holding her up. Maya smiled but said nothing. The eagle knew that once she thanked her, Liliac would just deny it.

A few more hours passed as the trio walked. Maya was getting more energy back, but she was still too tired to fly. Eventually, they reached the outskirts of Cheetah Castle. Liliac could tell; she has been out there on multiple accounts. Out in the distance was a small pink spec against the rocks. Immediately, the team knew who it was.  
Pink Spec was on full alert. After what she saw, she needed to be. Her tail brushed something behind her, making the Cheetah react. Her claws clenched around the being's throat and pushed it against the rock wall. Spec's eyes widened when she recognized the being, it was Liliac. She immediately let go, "Oh I am so sorry…"  
Liliac rubbed her throat, trying to ease the pain. "It's okay…" she said, "I should have known better." Her cheetah sister sighed as she placed her paw on her chest in relief. Maya and Sea Salt joined the two before they started asking questions. "Pink, why did you run off like that?"

Pink Spec instantly became serious. This scared the human; she has never seen her friend like this before. The cheetah simply turned around, "Look over there." The human and two other animals slowly peered over the rock. Liliac and Maya shared a face of shock, while Sea Salt remained confused.

In the plains in front of them was a large crater, about as deep as Liliac is tall. But that is what was not as surprising to them. In the middle of this giant crater was a large meteor. It was truly a sight to behold. But of course, the eagle and the human had no idea why Pink Spec was so alert. Then, their question was answered. A long green arm appeared out of one of the holes within the meteor. The rest of the creature climbed out of the meteor. The creature wore this gray outfit with a green gemstone in the center. It had four long green arms and legs, as well as a red head. The being's pupil in its one eye was a gray square, a yellow circle, and a black triangle.

The alien rubbed his head with one of his arms. "Oh dear, this is not working out" he said. "Curse my kind, banishing me and sabotaging my ship, all over the refusal of my elixir. It will take…how is it on this planet…? It will take months to repair my ship with scavenged parts."

The three teammates ducked their heads back behind the rock. "What is that?" asked Maya.

"That is a Cocky Alien" said Pink Spec. Liliac gasped, she has heard of them before. It is known in Cheetah history that the Cocky Aliens were a major threat, nothing could possibly destroy them. The only way they could be defeated was by kicking them like a shuttle cock 100 times. But this one, he was nearly six feet tall. To defeat him now it would take…

A small meow caught the trio off guard. They looked down in horror. Sea Salt was right beside the legs of the alien. The strange creature popped his head back out before approaching the cat. "Why hello there young one…" he started, "What are you doing here?" The cat prince meowed in response. Knowing so much human really limited him on his speech. The alien rubbed his head, "Can't communicate properly huh…?"

The alien's mind flashed with an idea as his arm moved up. The tip of his "hand" touched the green gem in the center of his chest. The stone began to glow and spark this green energy. A small beam slowly formed from the stone, an orb forming near the end. Several devices shrank and grew as it passed through the orb. "No…no…no…oh definitely no" he said while looking through, "No…no…aha!" The alien let go of the gemstone, the device in the orb coming to reality. The device was square with several prongs sticking out of it. The extraterrestrial pressed a few buttons while holding it up to Sea Salt. The prongs sparked with red energy before several beams fired out. Sea Salt jumped out of the way before the beams hit. A smoldering crater now lay where the cat used to be. "Oh my…that wasn't supposed to happen…"

Sea Salt growled as his tail now hung several firecrackers. The alien saw a shadow loom over him before looking up. Princess Maya was flying above him in circles. "Attack!" The alien looked up and saw two other creatures; however one was too fast for him to tell alone. The Cocky Alien quickly touched the gemstone again, the devices flying in front of him like crazy. He stopped once a rather menacing device appeared. The weapon alone required three arms to hold. He fired the weapon as soon as Sea Salt hurled his weapon. Bubbles shot out of the alien's device, stopping the cat prince's attack. Everyone was surprised, including the alien.

"Darn it!" he shouted, "I REALLY need to start labeling these things!"

A pink blur tackled the alien to the ground. The cat, the human, and the eagle grabbed hold of the remaining limbs. Pink Spec growled in the alien's face as he took notice of his capture. "Alright alien scum, I want to know why you came here, who you are…and how did you become so big?!"

"If you would kindly get off, I would be happy to explain everything to you four."  
Spec did not trust him, but the others were the one to get her off. The alien brushed himself off, returned the devices back into the gemstone, and then bowed. "Firstly, my name is Kawkee… Kawkee Alien…" He sighed, "I am aware of the irony or the silliness or whatever you creatures call it. With that aside, why I am here is a long story.

"You see, about a few years ago I was a common everyday Cocky Alien. I was their top scientist and inventor. A few times my species has attempted to make peace with a neighboring planet. I believed that the reason my kind was failing was because of our size…"

Pink Spec leaned over to Liliac, "He obviously doesn't get out much…"

"So…I decided to try and help my people" Kawkee continued ignoring the cheetah's remarks. "The elixir I made not only made me taller, but improved my other abilities as well. My kind was greatly ecstatic when they saw my discovery. But I saw the mistake I made. My kind did not want it for peace, only for destruction. So I did the only thing I could do; I destroyed the elixir, burned all of my notes, and disintegrated everything in my lab. Forced to leave and now a complete outcast to the species, my kind banished me from ever returning to my home world."

The story so far was quite saddening. Liliac felt sympathy towards him, as well as Pink Spec. But the cheetah princess tried to not think of it too much. Maya stepped in, "But if you were exiled, why did you travel here?"

"It happened a few days ago" he explained. "Out far, far, FAR away from this planet, something exploded inside my ship. The navigation controls were still intact, so I programmed my ship to travel to last known coordinates in our database, a place called Cheetah Castle.

"I have heard of the creatures here that were capable of defeating my kind, but I decided to land here so I could salvage some parts to find a new home."

"But wait" said Pink Spec, "Why did you almost waste Sea Salt?"

Kawkee sighed, "This I have a habit of. It seems every new invention I create is based off of the design of a previous one. The device I was hoping to bring out was my Universal Translator, but it seems I pulled out my Handheld Disintegrator by mistake."

The Cocky Alien was getting more and more innocent by the second. Pink Spec even dropped whatever anger she had on him. Kawkee placed his two devices away before returning to his ship. "I realize what my kind has done to your species, so I will just leave whenever I can…"

Sea Salt, although not understanding most of what the stranger said, felt the sadness he was feeling. The cat rubbed his head against Kawkee's legs. The alien was not familiar with this concept, but was greeted by the remaining three. "You do not have to leave Kawkee" the human said. "My name is Liliac, leader of the new Big Green. The others are Pink Spec, Sea Salt, and Maya. You can have a new home, here with us. I am sure we would be happy to accept you as a new member."

Kawkee looked at the four different creatures. He was astonished that they were so willingly open, especially the cheetah. The alien bowed, "It would be an honor to join, but there are two things that are conflicting me. One, I do not know what Big Green is. And two, I cannot go anywhere without my ship."

"Big Green is a peace organization" explained Maya. "We try to strengthen the bond between humans and animals. But at the moment we are simply trying to get new members, and finding a way to rebuild the base."

Kawkee caught on to the rebuild part. He was excited for that. "Uh…can't you zap your ship into that gem?" asked Spec. The alien slapped himself in the face for not realizing it sooner. A quick touch of the gemstone sent the meteor into it. With the ship taken care of, Kawkee followed the others back to their base.

* * *

Getting Kawkee Alien inside Big Green was easier than getting Liliac inside. This greatly angered the gray-haired human, but she did not let it greatly affect her. The alien said in order for his work to be properly completed, everyone had to leave. Hours have passed as the members waited on the outskirts on the water. "How long does that creep need?!" shouted Richter. "We're all sitting ducks out here!"

"Excuse me, I take offense to that" Maya shouted.

"Oh well excuse me feather head!"

As the two animal argued, Liliac walked to Yīxiàn xīwàng. "Excuse me, why can he get in when I cannot."

The spider demon shrugged, "Deep inside his heart, he only wants to be loved. You still have a war raging inside you. But I do sense that it is starting to settle within you. Keep it up, and the fight will cease and you will be allowed inside."

Liliac let out a sigh that was a mix of relief and sadness. A few strange steps signaled their new friend's completion. However, the ruins remained the same since she saw them. Richter walked up to Kawkee, "Hey what gives you didn't do a thing!"

Kawkee chuckled, "Or so you think. Everyone, follow me please." The others were confused but they followed nonetheless. The old floor of the base was cleared of all rubble. Only a few rooms seemed intact, but one room looked almost brand new. "Now, rebuilding Big Green up here would be a problem…" he started. "So, I built it beneath us. This one room acts as the passageway. Now everyone stand on a separate tile please." The group complied, each one managing to stand on a separate tile. Long John stayed far away from Jade Claw and Kettle. "I rebuilt this place with the highest grade technology that I have found across the universe" the alien continued. "This door and floor is equipped with a unique DNA Scanner. Simply press this hidden button…" Kawkee touched a small notch on the door's bolts, and a small sound was heard. The door then opened in response.

"But what about intruders, can't they get in?" asked Richter.

"You did not let me finish. You see, I already have everyone's DNA added into the computer. But if the scanner detects something that is not on the list…" Kawkee pulled an apple out and placed it on a tile. The button was pushed again, the same sound pulsed through. However, a small red alarm shortly went off. A purple mist was sprayed onto the apple before the tile below it launched it out into the distance. Everyone was surprised by the action. "…the floor will spray my special amnesia mist and then launch them off. The mist will make them forget how or why they were here. And this will happen at any time there is an intruder. Now then, shall we go inside?"

Kawkee Alien crawled through the hatch, just as everyone else followed through. The small room now had a series of hatches currently covered by lids. "I read the blueprints for the old Big Green" the alien explained. "These are what are called launch tubes. But these you can set to go to a certain location…" Kawkee approached the table and pressed a few buttons, "But I will send us to the docking area." Once the last button was pressed, Kawkee opened the tube and jumped down. The others did the same, a few having more trouble than others. Raya giggled as Jade Claw struggled to get through. The demon also had trouble but managed. Strangely Cyber, having his cubical body and many sticking out parts, got through easier that the liger or the demon.

Where they landed surprised everyone. They were on a loading dock, facing the water. But what was most fascinating was that when they looked outside, water surrounded them. Small groups of fish swam near the dome's edge. Sammy soon appeared through a special tunnel that led inside the dome. "As you can see, we are several miles underwater" the alien started. "This dock has a special tunnel to where only enough water comes in to allow water-based animals to swim through. This station is also your room Scale Gray, as well as yours Obsidian and Cancer."

The three that were called looked at their other worldly friend in confusion. Kawkee simply turned and pointed to the far wall. There laid a hammock, and two beds; one with sand and the other with water. Scale Gray ran over and jumped into the hammock. He kicked his feet out and put his hands behind his head, "Now THIS is more like it!" Cancer crawled into her bed and immediately began to sculpt something. Obsidian jumped into his water-filled bed and made a series of happy noises. The others left the trio, they were obviously happy with their arrangements. "Since it has been a long day, I will show you to your rooms" Kawkee explained.

The first room he showed was the biggest. It held a map of Hidden Kingdom, a control panel, and a main communication system. This was Ape Truly's room. There was even a smaller bed for Brave One. As the builder showed the members their room, he explained the situation to them. "You see, I was not sure how many other members were joining. So I paired most of you up…"

Kawkee opened the first room, "This room is Liliac's and Pink Spec's." The two sisters entered their room. Each half of the room was different, but each side had a bed. Liliac's side of the room was painted gray with several staffs along the walls. Close examination showed that they were all exact duplicates of hers. A small dresser lay against the wall with a notebook resting on top. In the corner of the room laid a few canvases and paintbrushes. Pink Spec's side of the room was a nice light shade of purple. Her bed was rounded and a large wooden post stood in her room. "Liliac, your side has more than enough accommodations to the normal human. I took the liberty to make more of the weapon you carry, and made a few modifications."

Kawkee grabbed one off the wall and handed it to the human. Liliac twirled it as a test, but she clicked something on her staff. A silver blade shot out, nearly hitting her cheetah friend. A loud thud behind them signaled Jade Claw fainting, again. "Your staff can now not only hold a blade, but also launch them. I saw how your father's staff could fire projectiles, so I figured you should be well trained. I also restored your father's sketchbook, made you your own, and provided a few empty canvases in case you get creative."

Liliac appreciated everything he did, but the constant memory of her father bugged her. Her sister hugged her in an attempt to calm her down. "Pink Spec" Kawkee started again. He obviously did not see her distress and rudely continued, "Your side is simple enough. A small bed, a small table, and a scratching post for when your claws get dull." Pink Spec heard "scratch" and walked over to the post. She scrapped her claws against the wood. It felt well on the cheetah's claws, so good she started to claw at it viciously. Liliac started to lead him out, "We better leave her to do this…"

Kawkee stepped out with Liliac in follow. Jade Claw and Raya's room was next. He saw how they were always together, and decided to pair them up. Raya's side had everything a rabbit could want. Jade Claw's had a few weights and other training tools, but the Liger seemed conflicted to use them. Red Ray and Misty shared a room, but theirs was a bunk bed. The twins happily entered, the tomboy claiming the top. Long John followed the two humans inside, wanting to stay with them as well. The alien set up a small bed that was perfect for him. Lovely was given a simple room directly beside the twin's room. Kawkee designed a special security system where if anything were to occur in their room, Lovely would be the first to know. She appreciated it, and thanked the alien before entering. Oddette was given a simple room, where her spider immediately started to make their webs in the corners and ceilings. Sea Salt and Kettle were given a room together. The cat prince's bed seemed a bit small, but the cat did not mind. Kawkee explained that there was a training room inside, and there was a door from her room leading to it. The lioness thanked the alien before she set off for bed. The two birds were given a room together. Kawkee explained that at first he believed it would be an issue, but he then said how they seemed to be good friends. The eagle and the owl did not seem to mind at all. Richter's room was filthy, but the groundhog loved it. Kawkee explained about his lab, where Cyber was welcome to stay.

"The last room for right now is Yīxiàn xīwàng's…" This surprised the spider demon. He has lived in the lake for so long, he was their protector. Kawkee turned before opening the door, "I believed that Yīxiàn xīwàng was a member, so I built one for him." The spider demon stepped inside; the door was specially made for his unique body structure. The demon gasped at the room. There was a small gentle waterfall built inside of his room, actually inside! The bed was more or less a spider web, but the strings that made up the web seemed comfortable. Kawkee explained of hidden passageways that lead to the outside lake border so he could still protect Big Green. He was happy, but Yīxiàn xīwàng walked right out.

"I am sorry Kawkee…" he said in a polite manner. "This room is nice and soothing, but I am afraid I am not a member…"

"Why not?" The multi-eyed demon looked to the source, surprisingly it is Liliac. "You protected the Commander and Brave One for all this time, you of all beings should be a member."

The demon had no words. There was still troubles brewing inside her, but they were getting smaller by the days pass. If only she could let all enemies enter her heart as friends. Yīxiàn xīwàng bowed, a motion that surprised the human, "Honorable Liliac, I would be greatly honored to join the new Big Green." Kawkee Alien walked up and bowed as well. He has already done enough to prove his worth.

**YIXIAN XIWANG 003**

**KAWKEE ALIEN 100**

The remaining group separated, returning to their rooms. Yīxiàn xīwàng told that Liliac seemed to buy herself one last day in Big Green. Liliac entered hers, only to find that the room no longer had a scratching post. Her sister's side of the room has several scratch marks along the walls. Pink Spec laid in her bed, asleep. She must have tired herself out. Liliac climbed into her bed, her day's excitement pulling her back into a deep sleep.


	14. Deluded Villager

Morning came onto Hidden Kingdom. The light shined down into the water, the light hit the barrier, and the light intensified within the dome. Scale Gray was the first to awaken, his eyes stirring against the light. "Uh…five more minutes mom…" he said as he turned.

His two animal friends awoke the moment the light entered their room. Cancer turned to Obsidian, clacking her claws a few times. The black-shelled oyster nodded before sucking up a bit of water. The two animals stacked onto each other, the crab being on the bottom. Obsidian arched his head over their human friend's head. A stream of water was spat onto Scale Gray. The water surprised the human, his body flailing out of the hammock and landing on the ground with a thud. "Okay…I'm up…" he said with a moan. Once Scale Gray got up, he brushed himself off. Suddenly, an alarm blared through the room. It scared not only the human, but the two animals as well.

"Attention all members" said the Commander over the intercom. "Please report to the Observation Room as soon as you are ready."

The trio groaned from the sudden sound but complied with the Commander's request. Scale Gray led the team into the halls before joining the others. With another slide down the launch tubes, they reappeared in another room. This room was large and circular. One area of the room had a large map, showing all of Hidden Kingdom. Another area, directly across from it, was a large glass window. The window showed the outside sea, which now was blocked by Sammy. As the others piled in, the Commander, Brave One, and Kawkee Alien stood at the front.

"Uh…why did he have to turn the alarm on?" asked Scale Gray.

"He needed some way to get us" said Red Ray. He was agreed with by Yaksha, who sat proudly on his head.

"Yeah, but weren't you guys asleep?"

"No" Scale Gray was surprised that everyone else, including his two friends, said that. Apparently he was the only heavy sleeper in the room right now. Oddette slid down, but only her lower half came. It slowly walked over, just before her upper half fell hard against the floor. She yawned and rubbed her eyes, "Oh…sorry… I didn't get much sleep…"  
Richter leaned in closer to Cancer, "With her figure, you would think she would WANT beauty sleep…"

The two snickered just as Oddette was pulling herself together. She was too tired to hear or care what they said. The Commander cleared his throat, "I want to thank you all for coming. Now we can get our business under way. You all know that the previous Big Green not only extended friendship between animals and humans, but also stopped High Roller's evil forces from harming humans and our cause."

"Look how far that got them" Richter whispered to his crab friend.

Brave One hissed, scaring the Groundhog. "Anyway…" the Commander continued, "Kawkee Alien has developed something to aid our warriors when doing either of these tasks."

Kawkee moved closer to the group, holding an item in his hands. "This is my Amnesia Mist, if you recall" he said. The special liquid was inside a glass container with a pump near the end. "One spray of this in the being's face will make them forget anything that happened that day. They will wake up as if it all was a dream."

The old Commander nodded, "Thank you Kawkee, now onto mission assignments. Now, we may have visited the forest area, but I am certain there are more allies there. Liliac, take Pink Spec and Richter with you to the Eastern Forests." Liliac nodded before she and the two mentioned left the room. "Misty, Red Ray" The Commander caught the attention of the twins. "I believe that we have found where another member of Second Squad could have rested."

"Second Squad?" asked Misty.

"In Big Green, there were two squads. First Squad was filled with the most talented members in our fighting force. Second Squad acted as backup for First Squad. We shouldn't forget about them."

The twins nodded but DJ flew up next to them. "You're going to need someone to help you" he said. "I know the area pretty well."

The two humans nodded before they left the room. Kawkee explained to the two groups the new mode of transportation. He based it off of the old turtle canon procedure, which confused the group even more. However since Liliac and the others left already, the secondary trio was the ones to test it.

Back in the conference room, the Commander was addressing the last group. "And finally, Scale Gray, Obsidian, and Cancer" he said. "I would like you to explore a bit of the oceans and Northern Hidden Kingdom for new members. Take Sammy with you, but only explore the North once I send a few others." The trio nodded as their whale friend swam back to the loading dock.

* * *

"This…is stupid…" Misty crossed her arms as she rode across the landscape. The new device that Kawkee made would probably be best described as a metal turtle. However this one showed no head, legs, or tail, and the treads were clearly partially inside the "shell." The other two had no complaints, but the girl did. She fell of nearly three times as they traveled.

"These aren't so bad" Red Ray said. "Just think that mom and dad did this a while ago."

"Yeah…but…" Misty's speech was cut short as a bit of sand entered her mouth. She spat it out in disgust, "Hey feather head! I thought you said you knew where we were going!"

"I do!" shouted the owl prince.

"Then why are we in the DESERT?!"

DJ stopped and looked around. There were definitely in the desert, sand stretched in every direction. In all honesty, the owl prince did not know where the village was. He rubbed the back of his head in complete embarrassment. Misty walked over slowly but her anger showed. She arched back for a punch. "Hey wait" Misty stopped just short of DJ's face. She looked at her brother. "I think there's someone out there."

The trio rode closer to the figure out in the distance. It was, in fact a human. He was laying face first into the sand. His skin was a sickly pale, had dark brown hair, a tattered red sleeveless shirt, and a pair of torn gray shorts. The trio was deeply confused and concerned about this human. But one last detail made them worry. Attached to his right shoulder seemed to be a plant. The "flower" end of it had a set of jaws and eyes, seeing that it is aware and alive. Misty walked closer to the plant and extended her hand to tug on the vine. The plant raised its head and hissed, causing the boy to stir. A small wheezed chuckle came from the boy as he sat up.

"Oh…visitors…" he said, "I haven't had visitors in a while. What brings you here?"

A moment of silence passed through the barren sandy landscape. Red Ray stepped forward, "Uh…I am Red Ray. This is my sister Misty and our friend DJ."

"Well welcome travelers, I am Thorn. May I escort you to my village?"

"You have a village way out here?" asked Misty.

"Of course I do, follow me please."

Thorn turned and sulked forward. The way he walked seemed like he was limited on his motions. The trio of heroes shrugged as they climbed back onto their mechanical rides. Kawkee needed to install some way to control them; Misty fell off when it went backwards. After a few short minutes, Thorn stopped. They were in the middle of nowhere, nothing there but a sand blasted log. The infected human welcomed them to his village. Misty was about to say something, but Yaksha wrapped her arm around her mouth before she could speak her mind. Red Ray said to play along with his act.

Thorn walked the heroes through his "village," pointing out key important buildings or places. Misty said nothing as she walked with her arms crossed and face in a pout. DJ and Red Ray complimented on every building that the human mentioned. "You know, it's a shame that no one ever stays in our village" Thorn mentioned.

Misty had a very low tolerance level. And now, she just about had it with this freak. "Okay…Thorn, you must be crazy or something because there is nothing here!" she shouted.

Red Ray and DJ start trying to silently tell her to be quiet, but Thorn spoke up. "I know the village isn't much, but I wouldn't call it nothing." Misty nearly lost it, but Yaksha wrapped her up tightly. Surprisingly Thorn never realized what has happened. He just looked down and sighed, "I just wish I could talk to more people…"  
Red Ray stepped forward, "Then why not join us?" His speech caught the attention of both Thorn and the plant. "We are part of an organization known as Big Green. We help to make peace within Hidden Kingdom. There should be plenty of beings there that you could make friends with and talk to."

This seemed to lighten Thorn's mood, and seemed to deeply affect the plant. It was smiling almost in an evil matter and chuckling. Thorn bowed, but it wasn't a proper bow, "I would love to join. Let us all be friends…"

**THORN 074**

The plant opened its mouth and seemed to be aiming at Misty. Just before it could do anything else, Thorn reached up and clamped its mouth shut. The trio looked at him strangely. "Don't worry" he replied, "I won't let her lay seeds in your brain. She's mine anyways…" The last statement scared the heroes greatly. Misty leaned closer to DJ, "I don't know what's scarier… The fact that the plant can do that or the plant is a she…"


	15. The Return of Spotter

While a tiny spark of peace ignited in Hidden Kingdom, much of the land was still cast in chaos and evil. One being was completely filled with it. A green colored rabbit with a scar across his chest hopped angrily across the landscape. He wore the mask that covered his face, the same mask that was used in an earlier siege. But that siege was several years ago, and that siege ended in failure. Even with the help from the Mantis army, Spotter's attempt to capture Rabbit Castle for himself failed. It wasn't the old First Squad's assistance or the Beetle army; it was that old king, Jumpy Ghostface. The cast out rabbit knew Jumpy was now captured and inside East Citadel's holding cells, but he could not take Rabbit Castle again, even with the Mantis army still on his side. He needed to not only get revenge on the other rabbits, but he wants his main revenge on Jumpy, the one rabbit that prevented him from being king twice.

Spotter was hoping a walk outside would clear his mind. He needed to think of an idea to get his revenge on Jumpy. He needed something that would hurt him from the inside out, something that was so close to him, he would die from the news of it. The angry rabbit was aware of his wife, Rabbit Queen. But he needed something more. That is when it hit him, Jumpy had a daughter. If he could capture her…Spotter started to laugh right at that moment at the thought. If he could get his paws on Jumpy's daughter, it would be like having the throne to Rabbit Castle. A thought crossed Spotter's mind, making his laughter immediately stop. He heard that the Rabbit Princess left Rabbit Castle for a special mission. It would take forever to find her.

Spotter started punching a tree, getting his newly found anger out. With one final punch, the tree was knocked completely out of the ground. The angry rabbit panted; his breath and anger settling. "The ONE perfect plan for my revenge…and one little detail sets me OFF!" Spotter punched the ground, several small cracks forming around his fist. "When I find her, I will tear her ears off, beat her senseless, and then…!" Footsteps, he heard footsteps, very faint footsteps. Spotter did not want to be seen, his wanted poster was at least sent to every animal castle in Hidden Kingdom. The green rabbit quickly climbed a tree and hid within the branches and leaves. Below the tree was a large flower field, but Spotter was not paying his main attention on that.

* * *

The desolate Big Green Base basked in the Sun's beautiful rays as two animals, a jade liger and a long eared rabbit, ventured outside to play. The Liger Prince and the Rabbit Princess had become bored of the eerie base and had decided to go outside for the day. They invited Brave One but she refused to go, loyally dedicating her time to staying beside the old monkey commander and assisting him through his home. Raya hopped through the secret tunnel along as Jade Claw Lion followed feebly, looking about for the elusive spider demon. "Look, light!" The young rabbit exclaimed as her left ear pointed towards the tunnel's exit. Both the liger and rabbit ran towards the light and leaped out into the open. Warm sunshine greeted them and Jade Claw Lion basked in its warmth as the rabbit princess sat on his belly.

After some time of enjoying their first rays of sunlight in days, they set off to find a suitable play area. "I-I remember" Jade Claw Lion started, "That s-something caught my eye as w-we walked through."

Raya stopped and turned to look at her shy companion. "Something... Good?" she asked. So far, she knew that her friend had a habit of finding things that worried or frightened him. The jade liger, realizing what his large eared friend meant by her question, smiled sincerely at her. No one had ever gotten to know him as well as she had. Oh, she was so sweet and kind, he thought. "Y-yeah, something good" he answered, a hint of happiness evident in his voice.

After a few short minutes, what most likely was seconds, Jade Claw spoke up. "H-hey, you sure you wouldn't like to h-hop on instead of walking?" he offered suddenly.

"Jade Claw… Sure?" she asked. The liger prince nodded in response before the rabbit princess hopped onto his back. As soon as he began to move, Raya made cheerful, giggling noises which caused him to chuckle slightly. It was unusual for Jade Claw Lion but he was not in the least bit nervous. No anxious glances from side to side, no swift and panicky movements. He was completely and utterly content. He did not notice the gloomy, oppressive environment in which he walked idly through. Nor did he hear the noises that echoed ominously throughout the forest. The only thing he heard was his friend's cheerful laughter, lifting the air of its heavy atmosphere. With Raya around, he felt like nothing could ever touch him.

Suddenly, Jade Claw Lion spotted something. He smiled, "H-here it is!" Before the two friends was a flower field, the plants tipped with pastel colors. The sun shone gloriously onto the field and the breeze weaved through the flowers playfully. Near the one end of the field was a tree, with leaves so thick you could hide inside them.

"Jade Claw… Good eyes!" Raya stated as she leaped off of the jade liger's back and into the flower field where she was greeted by lovely smells and calming colors. Jade Claw Lion rolled onto his back and immersed himself in the sweet plants. The two laughed for a while, simply enjoying this small amount of peaceful landscape. Not much of Hidden Kingdom was like this anymore. After a while just lying there became boring, so the two royal animals decided to start a game of tag.

"It!" Raya said as her long ear tapped Jade Claw Lion's shoulder.

"H-hey, n-no fair!" he exclaimed jokingly, "Your e-ears give you an advantage!"

"Not Raya fault!"

Unbeknownst to the two friends a set of hateful, red eyes were watching, hidden amongst the blackened trunks of the looming trees. Spotter watched, hunched over, with his accurate eye on her. _"There she is…"_ Spotter thought, _"She's right there…this plan may work!"_

Jade Claw Lion stopped chasing Raya. There was something odd, something else that was there. The breeze was no longer the same as it withered away, as if escaping. The pastel flowers ceased to move and the sun dimmed its radiant light. The Rabbit Princess caught the distress of her friend. She slowly hopped back towards him, the game obviously ending. "Jade Claw… Oka-" The rabbit princess was cut off in mid sentence, when something muffled her voice and took her with it. Jade Claw Lion could only stare as the swift thing darted about randomly with the rabbit princess in tow. The thing stopped. It turned out to be a green rabbit, eyes blazing with hatred and another, unidentifiable emotion. Slim and swift, the dark green rabbit had Raya in a tight, net-like wire bag. She was struggling to get out.

"I know you" the rabbit said as he stared intently at the liger prince. The jade liger looked to the unknown rabbit and then back at his captured companion. "You're that cowardly liger prince!" The dark green rabbit spat as his right eye twitch slightly along with his ear. The captor's breathing was ragged and uneasy. Jade Claw Lion felt himself shrink as he anticipated the onslaught of scolds and taunts. The rabbit smirked. He'd been keeping all of his emotion within him for the longest time. He knew that the liger prince would do nothing at all if he said anything. "I am Spotter, rightful King of the Rabbits!" he shouted. He turned to face Raya, still struggling and squirming and hissed at her. She stopped all attempts at escape and stayed quiet in fear.

"Cowardly liger, hear my reasoning!" Spotter shouted again. Jade Claw Lion did not know what to do and remained passive, constantly looking unto his friend, trying to formulate some sort of sneaky plan whilst the villain spoke. "I will hold His Majesty's daughter hostage and send a message for him through High Roller" he announced, right eye twitching twice in the process. "And I will tell him to come and fetch her. And, knowing he can't, the penalty will be her death!" He ended his announcement with a manic laugh, anger and frustration seeping out into his monstrous laugh. Raya screamed in terror and began to cry, her ears covering her face.

Suddenly at the sound of his friend's scream, Jade Claw Lion felt something that he had never felt before. The feeling was growing up inside of him as time progressed. He became alert, he became protective, he became…angry. The Liger went down on all fours before he began to growl deeply. The obviously unstable Spotter slowed his laughter and slowly took notice of Jade Claw Lion. The jade liger breathed in deeply. Flames erupted his mouth, stretching out and almost touching Spotter, had he not hopped swiftly to the side. The rabbit princess watched as all of the beautiful flowers were being burned and noticed the flames were indeed from her noble friend. Jade Claw Lion roared and ran after Spotter, mouth ablaze, burning the life around him as he chased after the dark green rabbit. Slowly but surely, the flower field was being destroyed by both Spotter and Jade Claw Lion. The liger prince then took a might leap and pinned Spotter. The wire net-like bag that held Raya was flung to the side, her back scraping the ground.

"Let me go! Let me go!" Spotter cried; squirming just as Raya had done mere moments before. "Never coward!" Jade Claw growled ferociously. His mighty claw was up and ready to swipe the crazed rabbit. He could end this fight right now.

"No! Jade Claw, no!" the rabbit princess cried. The liger prince turned his head to face her. "No more! No more wreck!" The jade liger took in his surroundings. Nearly every flower had been burned and ash covered the ground. The rank smell of soot was in the air, Raya was blackened by it. Unable to look at the destruction he caused the liger prince took a small swipe at Spotter, leaving him with a gash to his left arm and released him. The rabbit was soon nothing but a dark green blur on the horizon. Jade Claw Lion walked over solemnly to the rabbit princess and effortlessly released her from the wire net. He then walked off, lay down and covered his eyes with his paws. Small sobs starting to form in his eyes. Raya looked at him sympathetically before walked up to the guilty jade liger.

"It's okay" she said as she comforted him. Jade Claw turned away, eyes still covered. He didn't want to face her, even if he couldn't see her. The rabbit princess hopped to the other side to face him. "Jade Claw…hero" Raya said. Jade Claw Lion allowed himself to remove half a paw from his left eye. "Jade Claw…save Raya. Flowers grow back. Many flowers. One Jade Claw Lion." Jade Claw Lion could fully face the rabbit princess now and smiled happily at her. Raya finished her thanks with a gentle hug.

"W-we can come back here" Jade Claw stated.

"When flowers grow again" Raya finished.

The two walked back to the old Big Green base, leaving in the same manner as they had arrived with Raya on Jade Claw Lion's back and the liger prince content and worry free. Within the now ash covered field stood one single flower. A similar foot crushed it into the black ashes, leaving the entire field flowerless. Spotter stood there, watching the two leave. "One day soon…" he started, "I will have my revenge against the Rabbit King…and now I will have my revenge against that Liger!" With his revenge stated, he turned to leave.


	16. The Runaway and the Outcast

Pink Spec ran across the plains as her dear sister rode on her back. Tunneling beside and under them was their groundhog friend Richter. The trio was exploring the remainder of the forest. They shouldn't split off of one area before they complete another. The cheetah stopped just before the forest edge, allowing the human to step off. The Groundhog Prince popped out from the ground, rudely setting the human's footing off. "I don't see why we need to check out this area of the forest" Richter said, "There are plenty of other places to look for new recruits."

Liliac was helped up by Pink Spec. "Richter, we're not only recruiting members, we're making sure High Roller's forces lay off."

"Oh sure…revealing ourselves to the enemy. I thought that was NOT what we wanted."

The human pulled a small spray bottle out. The liquid inside was a deep shade of purple. "Kawkee gave us all a bottle of his Amnesia Mist. He told us that just spray this on anyone, conscious or unconscious, and they will forget about us. Don't you remember anything?!"

The groundhog rolled his eyes, "Yeah yeah, I tend to doze off every now and then."

The human and cheetah said nothing in response to his remark before walking down the path. The trees were close enough where Pink Spec could not run, but it was wide enough to where they could pass through easily. The root system was too complex for Richter to burrow through the ground. They needed to journey through on foot. Liliac commented on how the light seemed to darken as you go up the tree. However her cheetah sister stopped. Her ears moved slightly, he curved tail straightening. The gray-haired human turned. "What's wrong Spec?" she asked.

Out of nowhere, a long blue tongue shot out, snagging Liliac by her ankle. The mysterious tongue then threw the human, her landing face-first into a tree. The two animals looked up to see a blue chameleon up in one of the branches. Its tongue lashed out again, but the groundhog was prepared. Richter sidestepped and smashed the blue tongue with his staff. The impact caused the animal to recede its tongue and shrieked in pain. The ground began to rumble, catching the two off guard. A bear burst from the trees behind Pink Spec. The two animals and human did not focus on the details of the bear due to his sudden appearance. However, one thing they focused on was the large cannon on its back, which was loaded and lit. The cannon fired, but Pink Spec dodged it. The cannonball, however, hit a tree that was behind her. The tree was weakened enough to where it began to fall. Due to the battle with the bear, no one was paying attention to the tree. Liliac was unfortunately in the path of the tree. The human cowered, covering her head with her arms as the tree came down.

The tree never came down upon the new leader. The same chameleon that attacked her whipped its tongue out and grabbed Liliac just before the tree made contact. The human was placed on the same branch as the blue lizard. Liliac uncovered herself and looked at the animal. It still remained in the shadows, not much of its features were noticeable. "Why did you save me?" she asked, "You attacked us!"

The chameleon looked down below at the commencing battle between the cheetah and groundhog versus the bear. Then, it responded in crackly weird voice. "We fighters, not killers" he responded. "Fight to defend, then escort out. We only injure, never kill. High Roller must be told that. You tell that."

Liliac understood, more or less, what the chameleon just said. They protected others from High Roller's forces, just like what they were supposed to do. But they were mistaken about them. "But we don't work for High Roller" the human replied, ease and calmness in her voice. She did not want to scare this animal, "We are members of the new Big Green…"

The blue-scaled animal gasped when he heard those two words. "…Big…Green?!" Liliac was surprised on how much enthusiastic the chameleon just became. "Then you no enemies…GUNPOWDER!" The duo resting in the tree looked down. Liliac could not help but to let a small giggle. The bear was sitting on both Richter and Pink Spec with Richter's staff in his paws. He looked up and tilted his head, signaling his confusion. "They no enemies…" the chameleon restarted, "They friends! They go to Big Green!"

The bear looked shocked as he looked down at the two he was sitting on. He immediately got off, helping the cheetah up and dusted her off. Pink Spec smiled with his kindness, but Richter popped up between them. "Thanks for remembering me Spot Face!" he grumbled as he turned to the bear. The angry groundhog swiped his staff back from the bear's paws. "Give me that!"

The chameleon carefully grabbed Liliac with his tongue and lowered her to the ground. He then latched his tongue to the Gunpowder's pack and brought himself down to the ground. He remained on the bear's shoulder. Now that they were both in the light and standing still, the group could see them better.

The chameleon was light blue in coloration, but he had a small streak of red scales on his sides. A gray spike was latched onto his tail, and one could be seen on tongue. The spikes that rowed his back were rather large in size but little in number. The final detail was his emerald slit eyes, definitely not normal among chameleons. Gunpowder's fur was a shade of brown that was in between dark brown and regular brown. A streak of light brown came from his eye and down his face. Around his neck seemed to be a red collar and his wrists had a red and black band. The bear carried a brown pack on his back with a black cannon mounted on it.

"Sorry friend" the chameleon admitted to Gunpowder, "Should have seen friend or foe before calling." His bear friend simply patted him on the head. The chameleon smiled before facing the group. "I Bluescale" he said, "I outcast of Chameleons. Couldn't carry tank, no run on treads, resort to teachings of old." Bluescale was an outcast; that explained his strange looks. Gunpowder comforted his friend. "That Gunpowder" Bluescale started again, "He Bear runaway."

"Why did you run away?" asked Pink Spec.

Gunpowder said nothing, not even in his animal language. The others now felt bad for bringing the subject up. It was now Bluescale's turn to comfort him. "High Roller send animals to bring us back" he continued. "But we no go back. We no like his ways. We like humans, we help them."

"You know, eventually he might take you guys by enough animals" said Richter.

"We know. We will fight till end…" With that, the pair walked back into the forest. Liliac felt sympathy for these two. Bluescale was thrown out due to his looks and lack of skill, while Gunpowder ran away for some sad reason.

"Where do you think you're going?" Liliac spoke up. Her two animal friends looked confused as the newfound pair turned. "You two are both excellent fighters, so why not join us?"

Gunpowder froze as Bluescale climbed down and onto the ground. "You would take us in? Even though I outcast. Even I can't run treads? Even Gunpowder afraid of shadow?" The bear cringed, never knowing his friend would admit that. Liliac kneeled to the ground, slightly petting the chameleon.

"Of course we would, Big Green is open to all animals, no matter what they are like." Richter and Pink Spec looked at each other, unsure of their human leader's decision. However Bluescale climbed onto Liliac's head and smiled, "I love to join" Gunpowder growled for a bit, "And Gunpowder too!"

**BLUESCALE 020**

**GUNPOWDER 007**

Bluescale smiled at the human once more, "Like they say, five heads better than three! Well…two and a half…Groundhog not smart." The chameleon laughed before latching to a tree branch and throwing himself at the tree. Richter grumbled as he nearly threw his staff at their new teammate. Liliac, Gunpowder, and Pink Spec all laughed at this. The human regained her composure and looked back up at the chameleon, "Bluescale, do you know of any other animals in the forest?"

Bluescale thought for a second, his usually crossed eyes straightening their gaze. "There two more…just east of here" he said, "Protectors like us, but hard to convince."  
Liliac continued walking deeper, "Then let's go then. Lead the way." The chameleon latched onto Gunpowder before they both journeyed to the other two. Richter walked beside Liliac, "I don't like that chameleon."

Pink Speck bumped in, "Just because he told a joke about you doesn't make him an enemy…two and a half…"


	17. Three of a Kind

Liliac, now accompanied by two more heroes, traveled deeper into the forest. According to Bluescale, there should be more animals here. What they were was still unknown to her, but whoever they were they should be easy to convince. They came upon a clearing with a few fruit trees. The human leader decided that the group could rest for the time being. The Groundhog let out a huge sigh of relief, complaining that she was working them too much. The others groaned and just relaxed underneath the shade. Richter reached up for a apple, but a spiked tongue beat him to it. The groundhog looked up the tree, seeing Bluescale. "Hey Lizard Breath, that was mine!" he shouted.

"I got it first…" he replied before eating it whole. Richter growled before grabbing another one. Before he could take a bite, Gunpowder took it out of his paws. The Groundhog grumbled, the Bear simply shrugging. He stepped to a third apple, reached out, but stopped. He crossed his arms and tapped his foot, waiting for a third person to take his snack from him. With no one trying, Richter happily reached for it again. Suddenly, a blade shot out, pierced the apple, and pinned it to the tree.

"So that's how it works" Liliac spoke while twirling her staff.

"ALRIGHT! THAT'S IT!" shouted the angry Groundhog. "IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WANT'S TO MESS WITH ME?!"

As if on cue, Richter let out a loud scream of pain. He felt a sharp sudden pain, like he was stabbed by a point. He angrily turned towards the chameleon, "Hey Lazy Eye, what's the big idea jabbing me with that spike?!"

"Wasn't me…" Bluescale said. Bluescale may have been a prankster, but he wouldn't go that far with one. However Richter was not convinced. "Oh sure, so I just guess that someone decided to use my butt as target practice!"

Again, the Groundhog felt another sharp jab of pain. He jumped and screamed in pain, landing on his head. Liliac walked over, seeing a few quills sticking out of his body. She pulled them out, letting their currently mistreated friend to yell out once more. Giggles could be heard coming from the bush to the north of where they were. The human and groundhog walked over, separating the bush. What they saw was a small porcupine. Once the spiked animal saw the two, she ran out between them and cowered against a few rocks. Liliac slowly approached, but Richter knocked her out of the way. "Alright you sac of quills…" he said while beating his staff on his bare paw, "Get ready to feel the pain!"

Several quills flew through the air, snagged the staff he was holding, and pinned it to a tree. The group looked over, seeing a much larger Porcupine. He wore a black bandana and had a brown marking across his chest. "No one hurts my sister bub!" he shouted. The little porcupine quickly scurried over behind her brother. While the others backed off, Richter stepped forward. "What are you going to do about it?"

The Porcupine laughed as he placed his paws beside his mouth, "Hey Ook, smash the Groundhog!"

A figure burst from the trees and landed in the middle of the clearing. To everyone's surprise, it was a Gorilla. This Gorilla had brown fur with blue streaks on his arms and light blue hands. His chest and face were also light blue. Around his wrists were these golden bands with the letters "L" and "R" on a plate. The Gorilla charged using its long and massive arms towards Richter. The Groundhog ducked, but he was never hit. He, along with everyone else looks over. They see the Gorilla, possibly Ook, starting to smash a rock he has clenched in his left fist. The Porcupine looked shocked and humiliated at the same time.

"Hold it, hold it…" Ook stopped and turned towards his friend. The Porcupine knew his friend was not very smart, but there was no way Ook was THAT stupid. "Ook…what's in your hand…?" The Gorilla scratched his head and looked in his left fist. He pointed to it and spoke in his native language. "No Ook…that's not a Groundhog, it's a rock…" Ook threw the rock and grabbed something else. He pointed to it with joy, but his friend shook his head in disappointment. "No…that's a tree…" Ook reached out one last time, finally grabbing Richter. He couldn't believe that he was so easily caught. The porcupine sighed, "Yes Ook…that's very good…"

Ook nodded before turning to punch his enemy. But instead, he saw Pink Spec resting on his closed fist. "Hey big guy" she said, "Do you know what I am?" Ook scratched his head, his eyes to the right thinking hard. The cheetah smiled, "Here…let me help you…" Pink flipped, kicking Ook in the face and knocking him away. The remainder of the group became ready just as Richter freed his staff.

The porcupine curled up beside Ook, "Ook throw me!" Ook grabbed on impulse, throwing with all of his might. The quills were down so no pain was experienced. But, the porcupine was thrown directly against a tree. His back stuck to the bark, keeping him suspended. Richter laughed, "Need some help Pointy?!"

The porcupine growled in anger. "I do not need your help! I am the Porcupine Prince, Prince Prick!" Richter and Spec attempted to hold a laugh in at the mentioning of his name. The Prince flailed some more, "NOT LIKE THAT YOU SICK F-" The bark on the tree broke off, causing Prick to fall face first in the awaiting mud puddle. Richter let out hardly laugh as he rolled across the grassy forest floor.

As the two animals were arguing, Liliac and Pink Spec were fighting against Ook. Bluescale remained in the trees, watching. He wanted to help, but fighting a Gorilla would be tough. Gunpowder fell asleep during the break, so he looked like he would be left out of this fight. Liliac jumped before swinging her staff down. She was punched by Ook, getting launched high into the air. The chameleon shot his tongue out, latching it around the human's waist and brought her down gently. The cheetah, now enraged by the Gorilla, growled before she ran. Ook attempted to follow her, but Spec was a pink blur racing around him. The running soon made Ook dizzy, creating an opening for an attack. At the same time, the two sisters kicked the Gorilla.

Prince Prick just finished cleaning the bark off of his back before he was suddenly pummeled by his friend. Ook jumped up from the quills, but quickly recovered. "Ook, throw me!" Prick said. Before the dumb Gorilla grabbed him, the porcupine stopped him. "Ook, you throw better with your right hand…" Ook looked at his wrists, seeing the band with the "L" on it. He smiled as he grabbed Prick in his right hand. The porcupine was right; Ook does throw better with his right. Prick nearly missed Pink Spec's head. But this time the Prince learned. He unfolded, kicked off the tree, and curled back. Richter stepped in and swung his staff. Prince Prick was launched like a ball against a bat. "And…he's out!" Richter said.

The Porcupine and the Groundhog stayed the same distance apart, circling, never leaving eye contact. "You're pretty good for a Dirt Eater…" said Prick. "I never knew they taught worms to fight…"

"You're not bad yourself Needle Head" replied Richter. "I never knew that they gave fighting lessons at Porcupine Castle. I always thought they gave sewing lessons."

"Well your staff sure is gaudy…"

"I wish I could think of a term for that poor excuse for a marking that is on your chest…"

"You might want to see a doctor about that ugly mug you call a face…"

"I've seen Sheep sharper than those blunt sticks!"

"At least I walk above ground like everyone else!"

The two animals were now face to face, each one giving a glare of anger. However this aggressive scene only lasted a few seconds. Soon, Richter and Prick were laughing, patting each other on the backs. "Man…" Prick started, "I must say I never thought I would hear another animal tell ME some insults. You're not that bad Drill Butt…"

"You're not bad yourself Sandpaper Back" Richter replied.

Everyone, especially Ook, was in confusion. Gunpowder just woke up, but was still too tired to care for what was happening. Ook joined Prick, along with the little Porcupine. Richter wanted to hit her, but the little thing was giving a very sad look. Even he couldn't deliver a blow onto such a cute scene.

"Like I said, my name's Prick. And it's NOT what you think Spots!" Pink Spec growled; she never liked insults or nicknames. "Anyway, this is my little sis, Princess Bubbles." The little porcupine waved her hand hello, getting a return from the two sisters. "And finally the big guy behind me is Ook, the Gorilla Prince." Ook waved, seeing that it was the only thing that he knew how to do on his own. Prick leaned over to Richter, "As you saw earlier, Ook isn't exactly the sharpest quill on my back if you catch my drift…"  
The Groundhog nodded before Liliac stepped in. "Uh…Prince Prick…my name is Liliac. My friends are…"

"Yeah yeah, Spotty Speedy, Sir Sleeps-a lot, Richter, and Blue Bashful, just get one with it Gray!"

Liliac was surprised that he would just interrupt her like that. Pink Spec was about ready to pounce on the porcupine, but Bluescale held her back. The human cleared her throat. "Okay…uh, we are part of the new Big Green. We would be honored to have you join."

The cheetah glared at her, "Uh…WE would?"

Prince Prick thought it over. "Hmm…well things have been getting kind of boring" he said. "And you guys did entertain me with a good fight. Besides, now I can go along with my new friend!" Richter laughed along with the porcupine. Spec rolled her eyes, what she hated more than Richter, would be like two Richters. And Prince Prick, was almost like an exact clone. Bubbles tugged at Liliac's skirt, causing the human to look down. "Oh…you would like to come too?"

Prick picked her up as she nodded. "You can't forget my little sister" he added. "And you might as well open a position for my man Ook too…" Ook approached at the sound of his name. To be honest, he wasn't sure what he was doing. But, if he could help his friends, and make new ones, he was happy. Liliac bowed in respect, "Then I welcome you to Big Green, Prick, Bubbles, and Ook…"

**PRINCE PRICK 035**

**PRINCSS BUBBLES 034**

**OOK 037**

The group made their way out of the forest. It was going to get dark soon, so they needed to get back. Liliac climbed onto her dear sister, but she stopped when she saw the others. Richter tunneled underground and traveled through one of his tunnels. The human offered a ride; even though it was Spec she was riding on. Prick shrugged it off, saying that they would be fine. Bubbles giggled as the two jumped into the air. As Prick grabbed his sister's arms and legs, the quills on her back extended greatly. Soon, the two porcupines became a rolling ball of needles. The two rolled across the horizon with surprisingly good speed. Ook took no question or reason as he followed his friend. Even more surprising, Ook was almost as fast as the two porcupines. Liliac looked down at her fried, "Looks like you have some competition…"

"You want to go home, or do you want to walk?"

The human said nothing else as Pink Spec followed the others. She easily passed them, but she was the one that they needed directions for.


	18. Snake Princess

The sun was nearly set on the horizon. It used to hit the top of Big Green, making the light shimmer. However now it cast upon nothing. Liliac and the others were now at the edge of Big Green. The twins and DJ soon came afterward. Their new member however, was conflicting in the eyes of the others. That plant seemed, menacing. However in Thorn's case, he was delighted to see so many more people. He grabbed Liliac's hand and gently kissed it. As he was doing that, the Jackal Plant on his shoulder slowly extended near her ear. The boy saw this, quickly grabbing the mouth and clamping it shut. The others, even the three that met him earlier, were surprised.

With the word from Kawkee, the others were able to enter. Ook had a hard time, due to both his size and his intelligence. They all met in the meeting room they went in before. Ape Truly was there, but strangely Brave One was not.

"Commander, where's Brave One?" asked Liliac.

The Commander turned to face them. "Oh, I believe that that she went to see Yīxiàn xīwàng" he said.

"Have you seen Lovely either?" asked Red Ray.

"Oh, she and Oddette left a few minutes ago. I told them of a mission near the western forests. I told them of the dangers at night, but they said they had no problem. Now, what new members do we have?"

As the others talked to the old monkey king, Liliac went to the bedrooms. As she walked down the hall, she couldn't help but to feel a bit of unease in the air. YX's room was just down the hall, but Liliac was stopped. Brave One stood in front of her, hissing. "Oh, hi Brave One" the human said, unfazed by her hissing. "I'm just here to check on Yīxiàn xīwàng…" Liliac reached for the door, causing the pink monkey to take action. Brave One jumped and bit Liliac's hand. She wouldn't let go until a few seconds. Liliac retracted her hand, watching Brave One slowly walk into the demon's room. Before she closed the door, the human was given a sinister stare from the monkey, "…Leave…"

Liliac was shocked, she never heard her speak before. The monkey closed the door, making the human's attention fall onto the pain. She removed her glove, a bit of blood falling from her hand. "She…she bit me" she said. "Her teeth got through my glove…"

In the room, Brave One was surrounded by darkness. A few candles were lit, but it didn't provide much help. Tears formed in the pink monkey's eyes as she approached. Lying in the floor in a mess was YX. He seemed heavily injured, blood was all around him. As Brave One approached, he moved back, "No…don't look at me…" The monkey did not listen. Tears still fell from her eyes as she hugged the demon.

* * *

The crescent moon illuminated what ground the leaves did not. Oddette and Lovely walked down the barely visible path. They talked simple stuff, what their problem is and how easy will it be. Along the way, the path split. Without even speaking, Oddette took the left path. "I'll check with you in the morning" she spoke as she left. Lovely waved before taking the right path.

The moon was high and the darkness spread. But Lovely did not mind one bit. She actually enjoyed it. It reminded her of her old home, before she met her nephew and niece.

The bushes shook beside her, causing Lovely to jump into action. However her actions were not necessary. The source of the rustling was a small snake. She caught sight of Lovely and quickly slithered away. The snake moved too fast for her to get a good look at her. Lovely was curious to why a snake would be out here, so she followed it.

_Might I help?_ Lovely smiled as her hair seemed to extend. It grew right against the ground, actually lifting her off. The way it looked, it looked almost like Red Ray's Yaksha. The hybrid was lifted onto a high ledge that overlooked a clearing. Lovely giggled slightly as her hair returned to their normal length. "How about next time, I do that" she said out loud.

Before her inner voice could reply, something entered the clearing. It was the same snake from before. The moonlight allowed her to be fully visible. Her scales were a beautiful shade of green. The markings on her hood were a cute shade of pink. On her head was a pink flower, maybe a lotus. Although the snake was cute, there was one thing Lovely was uncertain of. The young snake seemed to have several bruises along her body. Her hood also seemed to be covered in stitches. She was panting, like she was running from something. Then, it revealed itself.

A large dark figure with a piercing red eye rose from the shadows. The young snake gasped and made a run for it. The red eye narrowed, a deep brown tail blocking the escaper's route. The green snake stopped, turned, and began to coil in fear. The figure revealed itself into the moonlight. It was a snake, much larger than the green one. The snake had menacing markings on its hood, as well as very sharp fangs and claw marks around his injured right eye. "I FOUND YOU!" he hissed. The small snake continued to coil around herself, but the larger snake loomed over her. "You were running away again…remember what happened the last time you ran away?"

The small snake suddenly uncoiled, "No no…No Basilisk, I….I-I wasn't running away…I-I was…"

"SILENCE!" The snake's sudden voice scared even Lovely. "It is obvious you are still too weak Chusi. You shall then take double of your training as punishment!"

Chusi slowly backed up, hoping that something will save her. But she was wrong. Basilisk coiled around her small body and then started to squeeze her. Lovely watched in horror as the small snake was constricted. Chusi let out her last breath, a small but audible wheeze coming out of her throat. Basilisk laughed before releasing his grip. The green snake fell to the ground limp and lifeless. But a quick gasp of breath meant that she was alive. "Now, GO BACK TO THE CASTLE!" Chusi slowly got up and slithered back in the direction Basilisk came. The snake followed, making sure the little escaper wouldn't get any ideas.

Lovely's hair extended to the ground and helped her land safely. She looked in the same direction to where the two snakes traveled too. _I believe that is Snake Castle…what are you thinking?_ Lovely sighed, "I'm thinking of that snake…"

* * *

The next morning came, shining the light of a new day into Hidden Kingdom. The light shined through the windows of Snake Castle. But light was limited in one place. Every snake in Snake Castle had a box. Usually it helps to sneak on enemies and also be a comforting area for them. But for Chusi, it was a prison. Hers had a lock on it, to which only Basilisk could open. The only area where light could get in was the keyhole, and the keyhole was very small. Chusi raised her head and squinted from the lack of light. She tried to look through the hole, but her box was too dark; it made her eyes burn. A small knock on the side of it caused her to stir. "Did you have a good sleep Chusi…?"

The voice she knew, it was one that haunted the snake princess down to the very core of her heart. "P-Please B-Basilisk…" she said with fear, "L-Let me out…"

"Why would I do that? Are you going to run away…?" The Snake King's red eye soon looked through the keyhole, giving Chusi more than a good scare, "Or do you want your training this early in the morning…?" Chusi screamed in fear, giving her answer and giving Basilisk a laugh. Chusi curled in on herself, crying herself to tears. She hoped, begged, pleaded, that one day someone or something would take her away from this nightmare. She also hoped that that someone was not death.

* * *

Lovely stood at the front of Snake Castle. The sun was near the center of the sky, revealing that it was about noon. Lovely did not move; she just stood at the entrance of the castle. _If this plan of yours does not work the voice started, then we will both be killed._

"I know" the human admitted with a sigh. "But if we don't try, she will only suffer more."

With both minds set on their goal, Lovely journeyed on into the castle. The halls were poorly lit, spiked vines growing along every wall. As she continued, the sense of danger was increasing by the second. Finally, she arrived at the main throne room. Unlike the old Snake King, Basilisk was out of his box, waiting for whoever came. But once the human stepped foot inside, she was surrounded by red boxes, the ones belonging to the soldiers. Lovely remained where she was. "I would like to request an audience with the Snake King."

Basilisk hissed, causing all of the boxes to retreat. Lovely approached closer and stopped at the base of the stairs. The Snake King smiled, "What is the pleasure of having a human to see me…?"

Lovely gulped, not in fear of the Snake King, but more of the fear of what was going to happen. "I came to see my friend" she said. "I believe her name is Chusi…"

This caught both Basilisk and Chusi's attention. "…friend…? Friend…? FRIEND?!" Snake King hissed loudly. "I do not remember Chusi ever having a friend! She is forbidden to have friends!"

Chusi watched through her tiny keyhole as Basilisk slithered towards this unknown human. She did not know why she was lying to Basilisk; she was only going to get herself killed. But, the Snake Princess realized something. Maybe this is who is here to save her. Maybe this human, had the heart to do it. Chusi's hopes rose, but they quickly died when she saw the human get slapped by his tail.

Lovely hit the ground hard, but the landing was not as hard as the hit she took. However she stood up, facing the mortal danger. "Chusi is my friend, I would like to see her" she said. Basilisk hit her again, "LIAR! SHE HAS NO FRIEND!" The Snake King quickly coiled around the human's body. Very slowly, he began to constrict her. "Chusi will see no one! And even if you were her friend, she will not have one for very long…"

Basilisk began to laugh as the life was being squeezed out of Lovely. However this chuckle was short lived. The Snake King let out a scream of pain, thrashing his head from side to side. His grip on Lovely stopped, dropping her to the ground. Lovely looked up at the scene in front of her. Chusi has bitten down on Basilisk's head, and not letting go. But with one final whip, Chusi was sent to the ground. The Snake King watched the princess slither in front of Lovely and pose defensively.

"You…you attacked me…" Chusi lost whatever courage she had when she saw Basilisk approach. "YOU ATTACKED ME?!"" Chusi was about to beg, but she was silenced. Tears began to fall from her eyes. "CHUSI, YOU WILL NEVER BE SEEN HERE EVER AGAIN! YOU ARE HEREBY BANISHED FROM SNAKE CASTLE! NOW LEAVE MY SIGHT!"

Chusi slithered backwards, only to be picked up by Lovely. The pair walked out together. The Snake Princess was still crying, sad that her only home was not gone for her. The human, seeing she still being stressed, started to stroke her. Once they stepped out, all fear began to slowly drain from Chusi. She quickly looked over the human's shoulder, but Basilisk was not there. She was…free…

Without question, Chusi coiled around Lovely's arm and neck. But it wasn't an attack, it was a hug. The tears that fell from her eyes were ones of joy, not sadness. "I…I never have to go back…" she stated between sobs. "No more…pain… No more…suffering… Thank you…"

Lovely returned the hug the best she could. "Chusi" she said. She hated to try and force this on her, but she needs it. "I know a place where…you can be safe every day. You can meet lots of friends, and never feel the pain you felt for years. Would you like to come with me?"

Chusi's tears sparkled on her face. "Yes…yes I would like that a lot…"

**CHUSI 040**

The two walked off down the path to meet their awaiting friend. As they walked, a figure grew from the ground. It stayed behind a tree, but watched as the two went off. Almost as silently as it appeared, the figure shrank back down into the dirt.


	19. Demon Girl

Lovely returned to the fork in the forest path. She explained to Chusi that she had a friend in the nearby town. The Snake Princess may have been out of Snake Castle, but she could not help to feel nervous in the same forest. To calm her as they walked, Lovely explained Big Green to Chusi. The more and more she explained, the more and more the young snake became interested. Without realizing it, the duo walked right into town. Before they could stop, a random human tackled her.

"Please, you must help us!" he said. Lovely got up just as other humans approached. They all begged for the same thing. The group was forced to separate by Oddette.

"Okay, calm down everyone" she said. Chusi hid herself around Lovely, very scared of the situation. "Sorry Lovely, these villagers are spooked over something. When I got here, I told them I was waiting for another hero. They went nuts right after that."

After about a few minutes, Lovely and Oddette were told of the humans problems. The village was being tormented by a demon for years. They asked countless times for the problem to be solved, but no human or animal was brave enough. Lovely and Oddette accepted their offer, the humans cheering loudly. The two heroes set off for the woods. As they got outside of the village, Chusi revealed herself once more. Oddette screamed, but it was not out of fear. "You are the cutest thing I have ever seen!" Lovely giggled as the Snake Princess was being adored like this. Chusi was not familiar with the calm touches, and then began to flinch away from them. The two humans were surprised by this, especially Lovely. She was hugged by Chusi before, but it could have been the bruises. No one that was put through that much pain could heal that fast.

Hours past, the trio walked deep into the woods. Lovely and Chusi were having no problems. However Oddette seemed ready to fall asleep. Suddenly, she moaned, "Oh…I'm so BORED!" Lovely stopped, catching both the human and the snake's attention. "We've been out here for hours and have seen no sign of this demon! How do we even know there is one?! We could be out here for nothing!" Oddette kicked against the ground, a stone coming loose. The stone flew up and landed in a bush.

"OW!" a voice emanated from the bush, "What was that for?!"

"Oh sorry…" Oddette apologized.

Both humans looked at each other before heading towards the bush. A blur raced out of the bush, knocked the two over, and ran out into the forest. The two quickly stood up, chasing after the unknown being. Lovely ran at a steady pace so Chusi could remain near. However Oddette had no excuse. She ran with full speed, trying to at least come to match that of the figure. She quickly turned around to face her friend, "Come on hurry up! We need tooooOOH!"

Oddette did not see where she was going. She ran straight onto the forest trail that was covered in slime. She flailed her arms, attempting to keep her balance. She collided into a tree face first; her arms and legs detaching from the impact. The human had no idea what was happening, but the snake did. Chusi watched as a slug spiraled down the trunk of a tree. The slug was orange as the tips of her antennas were blue. "Hey" the snake said, "Aren't you the Slug Princess…?"

The Slug nodded just before reaching the bottom. Chusi's directed attention caused Lovely to turn. "You were the one to lay this slime, you caused us to miss the demon…" she said.

"There is no demon here, and you shall not find her either!" The slug spewed massive amounts of slime towards the human. However she dodged the last second, the slime falling on Oddette. "Oops… I am terribly sorry" The Slug Princess slimed her way over and began to actually clean Oddette of the slime. The figure that ran suddenly dropped from above.

The demon was actually a human girl. She wore a dark gray tank top and blue shorts. Strapped to her back were two katanas and two strange Dao swords. Her hair was black and her eyes were blue. However there were strange things about her. Her head sprouted two fox ears and she had four long tails from behind. The Slug panicked, "No Kitari, I will…!"

"Escara…stop…" she said. "I can sense that they will not harm us. My demon senses tell me…"

The Slug rolled her eyes, "Kitari, you have no demon senses, you're not even a full demon!"

Kitari broke her calm look and yelled at her friend, "I have two fox ears and four tails, what else can I be?!"

It was obvious that her previous behavior was just an act. Her sudden outburst showed her true personality. Oddette laughed as she reattached her right arm, "I like this girl already." As she attached her legs, the rest of the group crowded around. "Uh, hello" said the girl, "I am Kitari Suna, and this is my friend Escara the Slug Princess. I believe you talked to the humans in the northern village…"

Lovely nodded, "We were told of a dangerous demon living in these woods. You have said on multiple times that you were a demon, but you act nothing like a demon, or even like a major threat. So how are the humans so afraid of you?"

"Well it all started about ten…wait" Kitari gave Lovely a glare, "What do you mean I don't seem like a major threat?!" Escara stretched out her antenna and gently patted her back. "Sorry… Okay, the real reason happened when I was a little girl…"

Oddette sat on the ground with her head resting against her hands. Lovely, Chusi, and Escara looked at her in confusion. The stitched girl looked at them, "What…? Stories from the past are always interesting…"

"I was really young and I lived in the same village you just talked to" started Kitari. "I tried to live with my family the best way that I could under High Roller's reign. I had a nice life, for a time. That was before High Roller paid an unsuspecting visit. He came with guests…the Wolf King and his army. They attacked my village, never showed any mercy. We hid within our house, but Wolf King attacked us inside. My father, he tried his best to protect me and my mom. I wanted to help, but they told me to run away. I did, but I looked back. Our house collapsed from the damage it took from the inside. Wolf King climbed out of the pile of rubble, but my parents never did. They…they risked themselves for me…" Kitari broke down in tears, unable to continue her story.  
Although the two have not known her long enough, Chusi and Oddette approached Kitari and gently hugged her. Lovely felt pity for the dear as well; a child lost her parents at such a young age. The demon girl seemed to calm down, wiping the tears of sadness from her face.

"I…I tried living on, hoping that someday, I could take revenge for my parents" she continued. "I wanted to make sure that the Wolf King died by my hand, and I would never rest until he did. But I was still young; I never thought I could match up to him. But when I was about ten, maybe twelve, I found what I was looking for. I was checking the traps I set through the forest. I placed them there in case Wolf King or any of his warriors came back. Inside one of the cages was a fox. But it wasn't a normal fox; this one spoke and pleaded to me, wanting to be released."

"Any animal could have done that" said Oddette.

"But he knew what I was feeling. He said he felt the rage against that beast, the urge for power, the desire for revenge. He told me that he could give me power, so much power that I could defeat Wolf King. He was a demon, but I did not care. All I could think about at that time is giving Wolf King what he deserved. I quickly let the demon out. The demon thanked me, and then returned the favor. I could feel the power as it went through my body. The ears and tails came with the power, but I knew it would be worth it when that beast was dead! I ran to Wolf Castle, ready to fight until I could not anymore! But…"

Kitari stopped talking, a long drawn out silence following her last words. The long silence caused all of the surrounding members, even Escara, to worry. Chusi was the first to speak up, "Wh-What…happened…?"

Kitari sighed, "Wolf King died of old age…" The others slightly gasped. It wasn't that shocking, but her desire for revenge was now dead. "The demon tricked me… Now that I think about it, that's what all demons do. They give you want you want, but find some way to twist it around so you end up miserable instead of happy. Well, that dirty fox succeeded. When I returned to my village, I was called a demon. I tried to tell them who I was, but no one listened. I ran into the forest, becoming an outcast among humans."  
Escara took a turn from the demon's long story. "When I found her, she nearly attacked me. Kit was acting more like an animal, growling while laying on all fours. But, I made friends with her and she returned to normal."

Kitari stood up, "But now that you know that I'm the demon, I guess you can fulfill your mission…" The girl extended her arms, giving a clear shot at her body. However the expected blow never came. Lovely instead stood up and bowed.

"Our missions are to help any creature in need; human and animal" she started. "You are in need of help, and you clearly have both animal and human in you. Another mission of ours is to find possible new recruits to help save Hidden Kingdom from High Roller."

"Wait; did you just say…High Roller?" Lovely nodded, a small smile forming once she received the girl's attention, "_The_ High Roller… The one human responsible for the entire human's pain and torture?" Lovely nodded again, causing the demon girl to nearly growl. "He has as much to do with my parents' death as that dreaded Wolf King does…"  
Oddette placed a hand on Kitari's shoulder, strangely calming the demon. "Hey girl, cool down a notch" the stitched girl said. "We all want to knock a few teeth out of High Roller's big mouth, but we all need to have control over it as well. Why don't you and your little loogie hurler come with us?"

Before Escara could respond about the name Oddette gave her, the demon girl shook her hand. "It would be really awesome to join!" she exclaimed, "We would love to!"

**KITARI 011**

**ESCARA 098**

"I hate to separate this friendly bond" Lovely interrupted, "But do you know another way out of the forest without going back to the village?"

"There are the swamps" Escara spoke, "That path can lead straight out back to the fields."

Before the group left, Oddette and Lovely returned to the village, saying that the demon is no longer a threat. The people rejoiced, almost making Oddette want to hurt them. As they regrouped, the Slug Princess lead the way to the swamps. From behind a tree, a dark figure looked around the tree. It then sunk into the ground, a few flowers in place of where it once stood.


	20. Swamp Love

The group of four walked down the swamp path. Oddette was as happy as can be, returning to a familiar place. It wasn't like her swamp, but it was as good all the same. The path split up ahead, the right area appearing to have more dense plant life than the left. Lovely was about to make a suggestion, but Oddette quickly chose the left path. "See you on the other side Lovely!" Escara and Kitari followed her on the left path. As much as she wanted to stay together, the other human took the right path.

Kitari and Oddette were laughing as they walked down the path. Kitari had several pranks planned for the other members of Big Green, and her human friend wanted in on them. Their slug friend shook her head as she followed them. She never really had it well with pranks. As they were walking, the trio could not help but to feel watched.

Escara slowed down a bit, the feeling getting to her the most. It could be another human that the villagers sent to kill Kitari. Ever since she met her several years ago, they became the best of friends and always looked out for each other. The Slug Princess turned to face her friends, but soon found that she was alone. The sinister air of the swamp began to affect the slug, making her shiver in fear.

"Excuse me…" The voice scared Escara, causing her to turn and spew slime. The attack was short lived, the slug noticing what she sprayed. It was a human, but a rather strange one. And when she means strange, she means definitely different. The human seemed to be a girl, her figure seeming to be very slim. Her hair was spiky and black while her skin was an unusual shade of purple. Her teeth seemed to be at a point, and her eyes were covered with a light blue band. A strange black liquid seemed to be leaking out beneath her band. The black outfit she wore seemed to be several overlapped fabrics. The human stood up, slightly moving her arms to get the slime off. "Uh…what was that for?!" she exclaimed.

"Oh…I am terribly sorry…" The Slug slimed her way over, gently cleaning the strange human. "I thought you were something else…I am Escara."

The human brushed herself off, "Hello Escara, I am Maiden…"

Escara looked at the human girl with confusion. The name sounded familiar. If the human's eyes were showing they would be shifting everywhere. The way she behaved worried her greatly. "I-Is there s-something wr-wrong…?" asked Maiden nervously.

"It's really nothing…but your name sounds…"

"Look out!" Maiden tackled Escara, but the slime launched her into a tree. The human landed in front of her. "Are you okay?" The slug managed to nod, but she only screamed in response. A python slithered in front of the two, hissing at the duo. Maiden glared at the large snake, even straight through her band. The python lunged at the two, but its head slammed into something hard. Escara looked up, seeing a large purple shield blocking the attack. The shield collapsed into the hand of her newfound friend. Before the slug could ask, Maiden formed around her into a ball before rolling away. Once they were out of that area, she unfolded and let the slug out. "The Pythons have been everywhere lately" explained the strange human. "But what is really strange is that they usually always stay in the more dense areas."

Escara gasped, "We have friends in that area!"

"…We…?"

"I have some friends up ahead this path."

"You go warn them, I will find your friends."

Escara slithered down the path in a hurry, wanting to warn her friends. Maiden quickly extended her arm, grasped a tree branch, and swung through the trees. She knew this swamp better than anyone. However, so did the Pythons.

* * *

Lovely and Chusi did not need to be warned of the threat, because they were well aware. Chusi clung close to the human as she battled each oncoming Python with her tongue. With Lovely's "inside voice", she could tell when there was one behind her. The Snake Princess was scared out of her mind. She was beginning to believe that Basilisk's confinement was more of a protection than a punishment. One Python screeched near Lovely, scaring Chusi greatly. She slithered down Lovely's arm and away into the bushes. "Chusi!" Lovely was slammed into a tree by one Python. Another slithered into the bushes after Chusi. Rage began to form inside of Lovely, her hair and face began to change. Her hair seemed to fly out in all directions, tangling and strangling the enemies. "No one…hurts…my friend…" Lovely's voice sounded like a combination of two voices, and the voice itself scared the Pythons.

Chusi slithered very quickly through the vegetation. A figure was following her, she could hear it. But it was getting closer and closer, the rustling getting louder and louder. A clearing formed in the swamp, but it was blocked off with massive tree roots. Chusi turned, seeing bright red eyes in the darkness.

The Python lurched back and lunged for his prey. However the direct light from the tree tops shone down on Chusi, revealing her entire form. The eyes of the attacker grew wide, causing him to stop. The rest of his body slammed against his coils from the sudden stop. The light shone down on the Python, revealing himself to the Snake Princess. The Python appeared normal in coloration, but the pattern along his back was much different. But that was minor compared to the other main distinction. Scars covered the snake's body, some smaller than the others and some deeper. Chusi was scared of the Python, but something about him told her he wasn't going to harm her.

"Uh…hello…" the Python spoke. His voice sounded scratchy, almost as if he was hissing at the same time. Chusi was confused greatly; he just tried to attack her, but now he was seemingly friendly. The Python was also confused by his actions. He has never stopped and attack before, even on his own kind. "Uh…I am…"

Maiden dropped from above just before kicking the scarred Python. The snake hissed in anger, the two creatures now attacking each other. Chusi sat there still dumbfounded. The battle went on for a bit, but the Python soon became victorious. His body was wrapped tightly around Maiden's body, his tail pointed at her. The tail had this large sharp spike on the end. The human could get out of it, but she did not want to reveal herself just yet. The badly injured python hissed in laughter.

"NO WAIT!" Once again, the Python stopped his attack. His head turned, the same gaze returning once he laid eyes on the Snake Princess. She slowly slithered up to him, "Could you…could you please stop?" The plea was small and her voice was weak, but the Python heard it. He sighed, just before slowly unraveling Maiden's body. He slithered away very slowly. Chusi slithered faster, and cut him off. "Wait, you don't have to go" she said. "Uh…what's your name…?"

The Python turned away, "…Venom…" He was completely confused. Why was she being so nice? Didn't she know what he was? "You should go…more of us are in these swamps…"

Venom began to slither away. Maiden managed to grab onto Chusi before she could follow, "He's right, they are everywhere. We should grab your friend and get out of here while you can."

"But…" Maiden ran back where she came before the Snake Princess could protest. The two found Lovely, but her back was turned. Her hair seemed to shrink down while her breathing settled. Chusi was worried, "…Lovely…?" The human turned, seeming to be normal. "I…I'm fine…" she said. "Wh-Where's that Python…?"

"He left with no fight" said the strange human. "Oh, sorry, I'm Maiden. We should get out of here before more come." Lovely nodded before the trio left. Venom popped his head out of the bushes, looking in the direction where they left.

* * *

Oddette, Kitari, and Escara waited nervously for their friends. The two humans heard of the danger, but they never experienced it. Still, they knew the danger of the Pythons. To their relief, they saw their three friends walk out of the thick vegetation. However they also saw a Python following them. Kitari jumped towards them, pinning the Python down between her swords.

"No stop!" Everyone looked at the Snake Princess as she slithered down Maiden's legs and next to Venom. "He never attacked me in the swamp, I think he's good." The others did not know what to say or do. Venom shoved Kitari away so he could stand up. He looked down at the little snake, a slight amount of red coming onto his face. The human girls giggled, as well as the slug. Chusi turned, "What…what's so funny?"

Venom patted her head, "I-I'm sure it's nothing…" His nervous behavior still bugged the snake, but she did not let it bother her that much. She led him to the others. Lovely looked at the Python; he looked like trouble. "Chusi, are you sure we can trust him?" she asked.

"I'm sure" she said. She faced Venom, "You will come and join us right?"

Maiden bumped in, "Join you guys for what?"

"Oh, we are starting a new organization of Big Green to restore peace between animals and humans" Oddette said. "While doing some missions, we are also looking for more members."  
Maiden couldn't believe her ears; humans and animals working together?! It was her dream come true. But she would keep her little secret quiet for now. "Then count me in!"

Chusi once again focused her attention onto the Python. His face seemed to be even redder, his face turned away. "Do…do you have a fever…?" asked the Snake Princess.

"What…?" Venom replied, "Uh…n-no…I-I'm fine. I-I will join you too…"

**MAIDEN 016**

**VENOM 012**

The other welcomed their two new members to the team. As the sun began to set, the group set off back to their base.


	21. Sheep Trouble

Another day passed over Big Green. Every new member was given a nice room. Kitari and Escara shared one while Chusi stayed with Lovely. Maiden was going to share one with Venom, but she said she would like a room to herself. She did get one in the end. Nothing was to be mentioned the entire day. The old commander believed everyone should get good rest for the efforts they had at the beginning.

The next morning Liliac was in the dining area early. Her face was filled with unease as she treated her other hand. It has been about two days, but where Brave One bit her still hurt. Why did she not want her to see YX? "Hey Liliac!" The human jumped out of her seat, only to find it was her dear sister Pink. "Whoa...jumpy today?" The cheetah joked but then noticed the look on her face, "Hey...is there something wrong?" Spec took a seat down beside her.

"N-No...I'm fine..." she responded.

The cheetah knew her better. She never could really lie to her that well. "You had the dream again, didn't you?"

Liliac nodded, half in a lie and half in truth. She did have a horrible dream, but it wasn't as bad as the others. Her unrelated sister hugged her dearly. The hug and sweet moment was ended when there was a small explosion from the kitchen. The two quickly rushed there, seeing a slightly charred Kawkee standing in front of a smoking machine. "Aw stardust!" he said, "I still can't get this thing fixed!"

"What is it?" asked Pink.

Kawkee did not expect them to be there, so he jumped a bit, causing the wrench to rise and fall onto his head. The two giggled as he rubbed to ease the pain. "Uh...well that could have gone better..." he said. He stood straight, "Well, I know the multitude of different foods you have here, so I invented this! I call it my Cuisine Creator! It...well... It's supposed to make any food just by inputting the right code. But four things come in mind. One, the controls are too complicated for you all so I'm trying to adjust them to your standards. Two, the controls seem to be when I was still small like the rest of my clan. Three, I need to find a new power source."

"What's wrong...? Not powerful enough?" asked Liliac.

"No no...the power source is perfectly fine. But the power source is the main cause of step four..." Kawkee grabbed an apple from the bowl of fruit and placed it under the machine. He pressed one of the buttons, a stream of sparks hitting it. The apple shot out of the machine, but remained intact. Suddenly, a few spider legs formed out of it. Then a small mouth and eyes formed. It growled before walking away. "That was supposed to be what you call "applesause"."

"Is that what your calling it, or what it's going to do to us?" asked Pink.

The machine exploded again, causing the entire room to fill with smoke. The duo left the alien to his work, but not before placing a sign on the door saying "Closed until Further Notice." Pink Spec shrugged, "I wanted fresh fruit anyway."

"Liliac...Pink Spec...!" The two turned to see the old commander being followed by Brave One. A small glare from her caused Liliac to shiver. "I have a mission for you; please bring Misty and Red Ray along with you."

The two nodded before setting off. Before they got the twins however, they grabbed some fruit from the kitchen; the fruit that was not being mutated by Kawkee. The four grouped in the Commander's room. "Everyone" started the commander, "I have some bad news..."

Liliac stepped forward, "Did Scale Gray return?" She asked this with a bit of concern.

The Commander waved his hands, "I have had no reports from him or his team, but I can assure you that he is safe. But I just learned that a few of the animal kings and queens have died out." This wasn't as big news to the others, but to Ape Truly it was devastating. Learning that the old kings and queens were gone meant that he no longer knew how the kingdoms could react to their actions. "Chusi has informed me on the new Snake...I mean Basilisk" he continued. "The snakes are dangerous enough. But I fear for another kingdom..."

"Which kingdom is it Commander?" asked Pink Spec.

"Sheep Castle. Sheep Queen was the most caring and generous animal in all of Hidden Kingdom. Now with her absence, and how the new Snake King behaves, I fear what the new ruler of Sheep Castle will be like. This is your mission, scout Sheep Castle."

The four agreed before leaving. However Liliac stayed behind a bit, "Uh...Commander... I have one last question." The old commander turned to where her voice was being emitted from. "How is YX?" YX is the nickname given to the spider demon.

Ape Truly sighed, "I am afraid that he has fallen very ill. No one shall see him for your own safety. Please understand..."

Liliac nodded before she was yelled at by her sister. She ran down the hall to meet up again. _That explains why Brave One bit me_ she thought, _She must have been protecting YX..._

* * *

A few hours later, the group arrived at Sheep Castle. Sheep Castle resembled a large bell on top of a tree covered mountain with many pointed logs surrounding the barrier. There was a path straight to the top of the castle. The four climbed the walls of the castle before entering through an upper window. Liliac and the others hid in the shadows as a few sheep passed by. "Alright" their leader whispered as the two sheep were gone, "We should split up to see if we can find the new ruler. Also look out for any sheep that could be a new ally to Big Green."

The two twins went on their way, Liliac ignoring their group decision. It was almost impossible to separate them. Pink Spec flew off with blinding speed, leaving Liliac to be all alone.

Misty quietly ran down the hall as Red Ray followed with Yaksha holding her lover up. The hall they followed led to the throne room. The throne room's walls seemed to have been punctured by something several times, because there were small holes lining the walls. It was strange that they were in the throne room, but no sheep, not even the queen, was inside. Unknown to them both, they were wrong.

"Why hello little humans..." a voice said. The voice seemed to be controlled to sound friendly, but when it truth it was not. The twins turned, seeing a sheep. The sheep's wool was white while her skin was a nice cream color. The way her wool shaped her body almost made it look like a dress. The horns on her head curled up to the sides of her face. "What are you doing here...in MY castle..." The smile she wore did not seem like that of happiness. The smile was giving the twins the shivers.

"Uh...we were sent to check up on Sheep Castle..." Red Ray started. "Do you happen to be the Sheep Queen...?"

A small baa caused all three heads to turn. Standing near the other end of the room was another sheep. But this one was very small, possibly very young. Her wool was white like the larger one, but her skin was pink and her horns only curved a slight bit. She slowly walked over to the other sheep, speaking in their language. "Pin Cushion...dear..." started the larger sheep, "Silk has something to take care of, please go off to bed now."

Pin Cushion eyes went wide when she saw the twins. She then realized what Silk was going to do. The small cute sheep quickly ran out of the room. The twins, confused by her actions, took more focus onto Silk. "Now...where were we...?" she asked to no one in particular. "Ah yes... Well, I am the new Sheep Queen. But you can call me Silk. As for you..." Her smile reached ear-to-ear. Suddenly, several sharp needles appeared from her wool. Red Ray grabbed his two swords as his sister's eyes began to spark.

"Now I recognize you two..." Silk said. "You both remind me of those two humans High Roller sent me...One was a male with an electricity attack, while the other was a woman with a long tongue..." Misty's attack stopped, but Red Ray kept his swords up. The last thing he wanted was to let his guard down.

"Our...parents...?" Misty said astonished. "You met...our parents...?"

Silk chuckled, "Aw yes...the man was such a fun one. I never had the pleasure of taking out something so important in someone before." Misty gasped, Red Ray keeping it in. "Yes...I believe that he should never be able to use his electric...or rather not be able to see at all ever again..."

Misty's eyes sparked, no, shot lightning out of all sides. Her face had the unmistakable expression of rage. "YOU ARE THE ONE WHO DID THAT TO HIM?!" Blue lightning bolts, which were larger than before, were fired towards Silk. The sheep smiled, dodging the attack only by turning around. The electricity hit her wool, but diminished throughout the room. Very quickly, Red Ray stopped his sister. "Misty, your eyes are still too vulnerable..." he said, "Let me deal with her..."

As much as she hated to do it, the girl twin nodded and backed up; a bit of smoke coming from her eyes. The boy unsheathed two swords as his lover raised him in the air a bit. Silk smiled again as Yaksha carried him over to her. Out of nowhere, the several needles fired from her wool. Yaksha easily dodged them, Red Ray slicing the threads in return. The new Sheep Queen grumbled, but the wicked smile returned to her face. She fired again, and Yaksha dodged again. However the needles instead tore straight through her arm. Both she and Red Ray fell to the ground.

"Yak..." Silk fired more needles, slicing what remained of Yaksha to pieces. Red Ray held her one bit that still laid on him. He clenched it with anger, "YOU HURT YAKSHA!" He grabbed his two swords and started swinging like crazy. Silk smiled as his attacks were easily avoidable. The needles stabbed Red Ray's arm, but he continued. But his attacks began to slow down. He eventually fell to the ground in complete exhaustion.

"Red Ray!" Misty ran to her brother's side, but her concern made her completely forget about Silk. She was jabbed with the same poison-tipped needles, her body going limp within seconds. Silk laughed as the needles sunk back into her wool. "These humans...I wonder who they are with..."

* * *

Pin Cushion walked down the hall, heading straight back to her room. She did not know what the humans were doing here, but she wanted to get away. Silk has told her that humans were nothing but a menace. They would harm her the moment that touched her. However she noticed that her feet were not the only thing making sounds. There was someone else in the hallway, and it was not a sheep. Pin quickly ran behind a small potted plant, curling up in complete fear.

Liliac wandered down the hall. She had yet to see her teammates or a sheep. She had yet to see anyone at all. Then, in the complete silence she heard slight breathing. On reaction, she grabbed her staff. She slowly approached the sound, walking as quietly and calmly as she could. The gray-haired human looked over top the plant, seeing nothing but a ball of fluff. "Awe..." was her first word.

The small sheep looked up with explicit fear in her eyes. "BAA!"

Liliac looked down quickly, only to be suddenly grabbed by something. A quick yank tugged the human away, making Pin Cushion run to her room to stay. Liliac fell to the ground with a thud. She looked up, seeing a sinister smile on a sinister sheep. "Well well...a third human..."

Liliac quickly stood up and grabbed her staff. Silk chuckled, "Do you really want to do that? After all, your friends did not end up so well after attempting that..." Silk brought her hands from behind her back, showing Red Ray and Misty. She threw the boy twin to the ground, but the girl remained in her grasp. She held a needle in her other hoof. "Don't worry, their alive...for now..."

"What did you do to them?!" Liliac yelled. She was nearly on the verge of tears.

"What did I do? Oh, I call it...self defense..." Liliac stepped on a piece of torn fabric. However the color looked familiar, as several other pieces matched it. Then, the one piece broke her heart. It was Yaksha, who once normally sat on top of Red Ray's head, now littering the ground in several pieces. She picked up a few pieces, "You...call this...self defense?!"

"Details details..." she said with a smile. "But let's cut to the chase. I believe I heard of you, daughter of Lin Chung!" Liliac gasped, how did this unknown animal queen know her? "I can tell from both your appearance and by your reaction that this is true. And now, I know why you are here too. Let me save you the trouble, I will NEVER join you humans."

Liliac sighed, "You got us...you can tell High Roller and..."

"Oh no, I am not telling High Roller." That sentence caused the awake human to look up. "In fact, I was waiting for this to happen. Let me make myself clear, I have a...pleasing deal to offer you. You already met Pin Cushion, the old Sheep Queen's daughter..."

"If that was the daughter...she..."

"Yes, she should be the ruler. But never mind that now...for intruding my castle, I feel like I should punish this one..." She held Misty even higher, "I believe having her father's punishment is fair; having her eyes ripped out and her eyelids sewed shut!" Liliac gasped, Silk was the one to do that to Mighty Ray. Silk laughed hysterically at the memory of her deed. "But..." she said suddenly, "I may overlook this and not even say a word to High Roller...if..."

The human gulped, "...If...what...?"

Silk's smile officially went even creepier, "If you take Pin Cushion back with you...then I can completely overlook this...incident. So what do you say Liliac...do we have a deal?"

The leader looked at her situation. Red Ray and Misty were both poisoned, Yaksha was torn into pieces, Misty was bound to get the same punishment as her father, and Pink Spec was nowhere to be seen. She had her weapon, but she would probably end up in the same fate as her teammates. If she did escape from that, High Roller would have Misty and Red Ray and would have known about them. As much as she didn't want to take a child away from her home, she had no other choice. "...deal..." Silk smiled, but Liliac shot a glare, "But get that poison...out of my friends..."

Silk complied, making the twins wake up immediately. Red Ray was silent as he gathered the tethers of his beloved love. Pink Spec ran into the room, but only stayed silent. She would be told of the situation once it was over. Once Liliac was handed the sleeping Pin Cushion, she just seemed to give up. "Let's just go..." Her cheetah sister understood; today has been too much for her. The four set off back to their base. Silk simply smiled as she watched them go, "Now then...I can rule without worry..."

* * *

Pin Cushion stirred into consciousness. Her rest was for some reason very rough. Her vision was blurry, but her wool felt something different. This did not feel like her bed. The little lamb rubbed her eyes, clearing her vision. The sight she saw, however, was not a pleasant one. It was the same human she saw in the hallway. Her eyes widened in fear, "BAA!" She ran off from where she was, but saw a human carrying a large spear. "BAA!" She ran again, but this time she saw a Liger. "BAA!" Pin stopped and ran behind a small pink monkey.

Brave One was confused to why the sheep hid behind her. However the main attention of the room was already cast. Lovely and Chusi joined the group. "Hey everyone...what's..." Lovely stopped when she saw the situation. Red Ray was lurched over a pile of torn fabric. Tears fell from his eyes as he slowly pet a rather large piece. She now realized that it was his Yaksha. Chusi grew nervous as she watched her friend clench her fists. "What...happened...?" she asked with her teeth together.

Red Ray said nothing, as well as the others. However Misty was the one to speak up. "The new Sheep Queen...Silk...she sliced Yaksha to bits..." she said. Pin Cushion overheard this, slowly peering around Brave One. Lovely kneeled beside Red Ray, keeping her anger contained and held him close.

"Can you fix her?" Red Ray managed to ask. Lovely did not know what to say. She wanted to say yes, but she did not know how. If she told the truth, Red Ray would be forever heartbroken. Not even her Yaksha knew what to do.

"...baa..." Red Ray, Lovely, along with just about everyone there turned to see Pin Cushion. She was still very nervous, but she wanted to help. The lamb reached into her wool. She pulled out what looked like a spool of golden thread and a small needle. At first Misty was going to step in, but Lovely prevented her. Pin grabbed two pieces of fabric and began to sew them together. Once she finished, the two pieces shimmered into one piece. Everyone was surprised, but Red Ray started shuffling through the pieces. Pin saw his rush and stepped back, but he was only helping her out a bit. Piece by piece, the little lamb sewed together every bit. Soon, Yaksha was in full health and in one piece. The two lovers hugged lovingly. Venom glanced down at Chusi and sighed, slithering off once he saw the two embrace. Chusi turned to follow, but he was already gone.

Everyone performed a small cheer for Pin Cushion. For once, the sheep felt very safe here. The old commander approached her. And since he was not a human, she was not that scared. "I heard of what you did" he said. "If you would like, you can stay here. I am sure your talents will be welcome here." The small sheep looked around. Although there were many humans, there were more animals. Brave One nodded with a smile, Pin Cushion nodding in return.

**PIN CUSHION 022**

Everyone set off to their rooms; however Brave One grabbed the sheep's arm. She very quickly led her to the end of the hall and into the last room. The lights were still all out, but the large mass in the room was now larger. A small pool of red blood lay underneath of it. Pin was not shocked; Silk has done worse in front of her. Pin Cushion looked to her with pleading eyes welling with tears, "...help..."

Pin walked over, feeling a large scar in the being. "...Brave One...?" The sheep pulled her thread out and began to sew. Brave One walked to YX's head. He looked very different, but he faced Pin. "Who is this?" Once she finished the first, she continued to the next. Brave One smiled, "...a friend..."


	22. Changeling Encounter

The next day Sea Salt was inside Princess Maya's room. He wanted to learn more human, so he went to the one animal that knows the most. He has been at it for a couple of hours, learning what he can. And, it finally paid off. Maya and Sea Salt left the room, surprisingly bumping into Liliac. The human was not happy to see Maya, "Sea Salt…what are you doing?"

"Liliac!" The girl was surprised to hear her name come from Sea Salt's mouth. He smiled, "Liliac good friend!"

Maya smiled, "I have been teaching him human for the past few days."

"But why did you teach him my name?"

"Well, I figured that since you are the leader, you should have been the first thing he should learn."

Right there, Liliac felt something. It was like; Maya just gained a bit of respect. However the human shook the thought out of her head. The eagle was probably only trying to kiss up to her so she would go easier on her. "Alright, keep teaching him." Maya sighed; she hoped that Liliac would go easier on her. The reason she taught Sea Salt the human's name was the reason she gave. If she wanted to kiss up to get what she wanted, she would have stayed with High Roller. She entered her room as their leader walked off and Sea Salt headed for his room. Before he entered, the hatch opened and Kettle walked out.

"Oh, hey there Sea Salt" she said. "Me and some of the other members are going outside to play, you coming?" Sea Salt opened his mouth with a long and soft yawn, his tiny teeth visible. Kettle laughed, "Ah….you went up early for those human lessons eh? Well don't worry, go take a nap." Kettle scooped the kitten into her arms. The young cat prince curled up before being placed in his bed. He purred in happiness as he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Outside, a large group of members were playing around in the fields. Kettle and Jade Claw supervised as the younger members played. Long John played happily with Brave One and Pin Cushion. No one expected the young sheep to play right away, but she and the monkey became good friends. The Roto-Wolf stayed away from the two big cats, but he stayed close enough to where he wouldn't wander far. Jade Claw was playing with Raya. The two were rolling around, laughing and having fun. The little bunny hopped to the other three to play with them. The Liger Prince stood up smiling.

"You're a bit too obvious you know that?" Jade Claw turned to the Lion Princess confused. "Oh don't give me that look. I'm a girl; we're supposed to know about this kind of stuff." Still, fake or not, Jade Claw continued giving her the confused look. Kettle rolled her eyes and sighed, "Jade Claw, do you…have feelings for Raya?"

Immediately, the Prince's face flushed red. He turned from Kettle who was trying her best not to laugh so loud at his reaction. She had to giggle though at the cute remark, especially when given from possibly Hidden Kingdom's fiercest animal. He never faced her, but he spoke, "Is it…that obvious…?" The lioness nodded, making Jade Claw feel even worse. "I guess the secret's out then…"

"What's the matter? I won't tell anyone…"

"It's not that Kettle. It's just…when I'm around her…I feel brave. I feel like, like I can exist. But if the word spreads out, who knows what will happen. My father would probably disown me…and who knows what Raya's parents will do…"

A claw was placed on his shoulder. The Prince turned to see the Princess behind him, "Jade Claw, although it seems obvious you can still hide it. And trust me, I would never tell a soul. Just, try to keep it contained for others alright?" The Liger nodded half heartedly.

Away from the group, a bright green shined behind a tree. The light died down, Sea Salt stepping out from behind it. Something seemed different, but it was not noticeable at first. Kettle caught him in the corner of her eye, "Hey Sea Salt!" The cat jumped a bit, but noticed his name and walked over. "Woke up early from your nap?" she asked. At first nothing happened, the cat prince simply stood there. But he realized it, and nodded quickly. "Good, why not join in and play?" A smile began to form on his face. He ran to the group of the small animals. His actions were slow at first, but soon Sea Salt was playing nonstop.

Half an hour passed, Kettle and Jade Claw rested underneath a tree. The other animals were playing happily. "Hey guys!" The Liger and Lion turned to see Liliac. However she was holding Sea Salt in her arms. "Sea Salt woke up and asked me to come out with him."

"Wait…" Kettle said, "If Sea Salt was inside…"

They turned to the group of smaller animals. The other Sea Salt was laughing with the others; at least he was until he saw Liliac. The other smaller animals noticed this; they started to back up from the imposter. A green flash of light was followed by a large cloud of green smog. The imposter ran out of the cloud as the others stayed behind. But Long John flew out as well. He rose higher and higher, scanning the ground below. A bright green glow caught his eye, the glow fading into a far away cave. With that confirmed he flew down and spun his rotor. The smog cleared away, everyone coughing or gagging.

"Wh…Where did he go?" asked Kettle.

Long John barked and his tail wagged. Liliac kneeled, "What…you know where he is?" The pup barked and jumped a bit. "Well go get him!" The Roto-Wolf raised into the air and flew in the direction the imposter headed. The human stood up, getting a degrading look from the Lion Princess.

"Liliac…you are our leader, but with all respect… THAT is just embarrassing" she said.

"What…?"

"He's a Roto-Wolf, not some house trained animal you keep as a pet. You need to stop treating him like a domestic animal."

"But…he always acts like that…"

The Lion rolled her eyes before walking forward. Long John stopped every so often for the others to catch up. It was not far, but the sky somehow got slightly dark. The pup stopped right in front of the cave. Liliac looked to him, "Are you sure this is it?" Long John nodded with great determination. Liliac and Kettle started to head to the cave's mouth.

The skies were filled with loud screeches. The others looked up in complete shock. A hideous bird flew down from the skies, landing at the very mouth of the cave. Its feathers were dark gray and its talons wee sharp. The bird had two heads, each head having horns while one head had three eyes while the other had four. A sinister set of jaws protruded from its back. "Stay away! Stay away!" it screeched. It charged straight through the two near the front, knocking them away as it rose into the sky. Pin, Long John, Raya, and Jade Claw all backed up in anger. The Liger Prince was hiding behind the little ones. Sea Salt and Brave One hissed, but the monkey was with the smaller animals. The only ones taking a stand seemed to be Liliac, Kettle, and Sea Salt. The Cat Prince quickly lit a few firecrackers and hurled them. They exploded, releasing the stinging red gas towards the monster. The bird flapped its large wings, spreading the gas back towards the cat. He panicked, however another gust of wing pushed the gas out. Sea Salt turned to see Long John spinning his rotor in reverse.

Kettle swung her head, her mane flying out towards the bird. The bird slapped her mane away, the lioness becoming wrapped in her own mane. While she struggled, Liliac took place. She twirled her staff as she stared down the bird. The bird descended to the ground. The human girl stopped twirling, but she held her staff at the ready. "What do you want?!" she exclaimed.

"Leave place now! Do not belong here! LEAVE NOW!" The bird screeched as it charged towards her. Liliac stayed where she was, not moving a single muscle. Then, when the bird was inches away, Liliac slammed her staff on the ground and lifted herself away. The monster flew underneath of Liliac, however the second head grabbed her staff, rendering her defenseless. The monstrous bird chuckled as the staff was thrown away. "Now you leave place forev…"

The bird was interrupted as it was tackled by a small animal. Raya started pounding on the bird's head, "Don't hurt friend!" Kettle managed to unwrap herself from her mane. She saw the situation and turned to the small cowering group, "Jade Claw help Ray!"  
The Liger noticed Raya and immediately ran over to her. Raya jumped off, the bird screeched in anger. However it was tackled by Jade Claw, holding it by the wings. Kettle ran over, grasping the back jaws and the two necks. Liliac retrieved her staff, rejoining her friends at the trapped monster.

"Wait! Stop!" the others turned. It came from inside the cave. A pair of green eyes revealed themselves from the darkness. "Please…I can't let her die because of me…"  
The bird monster stopped struggling, "No Niobe…" its voice changed to a sweet song-filled voice. "They…"

"No…I have to do this…" A gulp was heard, "I was the imposter."

Everyone able prepared to fight, but Liliac held her hand up to them. She took a few feet closer to the cave. "Please…uh…Niobe" she said with uncertainty, "Why did you impersonate our friend?"

"I…I…I…I'm like this…" A figure slowly walked out of the cave. Everyone gasped in either horror or disgust. Niobe was humanoid, but her skin was a hideous black. She had three eyes; two green with black slits while the center eye on her forehead was purple. The top area of her head was red, as three small horns protruded from her head. A pair of green wings was visible from her back. A torn gray rag dress covered her body; however most of it seemed a bit exposed. Her entire body, legs, arms, body, neck, was all filled with holes. A large heart-shaped hole was in her chest. Her eyes had visible tears, "I…I can feel your fear and hatred…but it no longer hurts…"

Liliac approached the…creature. She was tall, slim, and very sinister looking. Her mouth could barely keep a small set of fangs hidden. Although the creature looked terrifying, Liliac could not help but to feel sorry for whatever Niobe is. "What exactly…are you…?" she asked.

"I…I am a Changeling." The mentioning of the word confused everyone. "Yeah…they are not well known. But I know they are feared. I…I have no memory of what happened to me before but…" She screamed in pain as she grabbed her head and fell to her knees. Liliac stopped herself from coming closer. This could all just be an act. Niobe breathed heavily as she stood up once more, "No…I'm…I'm fine… I remember waking up inside a building. I had no idea why I was there or how I got there, but I left. The moment I left, I was attacked by a group of humans.

"I tried to tell them I wasn't a threat, but all of the words they said were "monster" and "freak!" But that was not the worst part. You see, Changelings feed off of love. They gain power and life energy from it. However, when one experiences hatred…they experience nothing but pain. I had to live with this pain for years. I…I couldn't take it…I had to do the only thing I could do…"

Niobe said nothing as she looked down and placed her claws on her chest. The heart shaped hole was covered at the moment. Everyone gasped, well, the heroes that could recognize what she was talking about. Kettle walked over with arms extending, "Ah…come here dear…" Niobe was hugged by the Lioness. Sea Salt rubbed against her leg. Niobe felt a warm feeling inside her, a feeling she had yet to feel in a long time.

Liliac smiled but turned to the monster bird. "So if Niobe was the imposter…who are you…?"

The bird placed a wing on its chest, where a gem appeared. A bright light enveloped her entire body. Liliac held her arm up, shielding the flash from her eyes. The light died down, revealing the monster bird's new form. It was a beautiful pink bird, wearing a golden necklace with a red gemstone. Kettle gasped, "Pigeon Queen!" She ran over and bowed, "I am terribly sorry for ever thinking of attacking you. I was…"

The royal bird giggled, "It is alright my dear Lion Princess. You were only fighting because of what you believed was right. As well as I was. I met Niobe a few months ago. I found how she was treated was unfair and horrible. I helped her survive and live, protecting any threats that may have come across her home. This necklace allows me to change into the monster you saw, to scare away any threats."

"Well, if you are worried on her safety, why don't you try joining us?" asked Liliac. "We are reforming Big Green, a society where animals and humans can be together. If Niobe joins, we can make sure she will be safe."

The Changeling shook with fear, "But…what if they are afraid…what if they hate…"  
The human placed a hand on Niobe's shoulder, or what she could have due to the height difference. "Niobe, you have friends like us. You will not be hated, you're just different. We are all different, but we must accept our differences to be accepted by others."

A tear formed in the creature's eyes, "I…I have friends…" She kneeled and hugged the human. "Thank you…I would love to join." Pigeon Queen walked over and hugged the strange girl as well. "And I will be with you…"

**NIOBE 072**

**PIGEON QUEEN 093**

The two new members followed the group back to Big Green. Near the old cave, a figure rose from the ground. "They help even creatures like that…" it said, "I wonder…if they can help me…"


	23. Forest Protector

It was another day in the new Big Green. Everyone was at work doing something. Kettle was in the exercise area, helping a few members stay in shape. Kawkee was still in the kitchen, trying to fix his machine of his. As for one member, he just wanted a laugh.  
Bluescale clung to the ceiling in the hallway with the living quarters. His crossed eyes still focused on the same general area. He was waiting, for he had a prank planned. The hatch below him opened, showing Oddette waking up from yet another nap. She stretched her arms as she yawned loudly. Once she finished, she returned to a usual stance but her eyes still seemed droopy. "Man…what a nice nap…"

The chameleon snickered as he watched her. The girl was not watching where she was going, stepping directly onto several marbles. Oddette flailed her arms, trying to maintain her balance. Her actions failed, causing the human to roll straight into a wall. Her body broke into pieces, her head rolling back to her door. Bluescale was laughing so hard that he fell off of the ceiling. He landed right on top of the human's separated head. Oddette glared at the blue chameleon, who was now scared. Oddette had a wicked smile on her face. However, the chameleon was now scuttling down the hallway with increasing speed.

* * *

Prince Prick rolled on the ground, laughing loudly. The old commander was being introduced to Niobe and Pigeon Queen. The rude Porcupine was laughing at what Niobe looked like. "I heard of being heartless but that is ridiculous!"

The Queen of Pigeons looked at him, "It is not nice to make fun of others by the way they look."

"Yeah yeah…" he said, "Look queenie, I wouldn't talk about looks when your ugly monster form looks better than what you do now."

The door opened suddenly, alarming everyone in the room. Bluescale hurried into the room, Oddette's head and her other parts followed him. "Come back you walking pelt…" she said creepily, "I just want to peel the scales from your body!"  
A loud whistle signaled everyone to stop. The many members turned, seeing the old commander. Although the blindfold covered his eyes, you could tell from his mouth that he was upset. "This is exactly how Big Green began to fall before" he said. "I may not be the leader of this organization, but I do sense hostility still. I believe that we should split you up accordingly."

At that moment, Liliac walked into the room. She held a few notes, "Commander, I got some more missions for us…" The human looked up, seeing everything in complete chaos. "What the heck is going on here…?"

Oddette began to reassemble herself, "Don't ask…" Bluescale walked over, holding one of her arms with his tongue. He handed it back, but the girl swiped it from his grasp in anger. "Don't think I didn't forget about that prank Lizard Breath!"

Liliac ignored that scene and continued to the Commander. "We have a few reports on human abuse, a request from a forest central village about a monster, and there apparently is some trouble in the deserts."

The Commander faced the group. "Niobe, this is your first time, so I am going to have you go with Liliac. Bluescale and Oddette, you two go with her. Pigeon Queen, you take Prince Prick and his sister to the desert. Feel free to ask another member to tag along."

Oddette and Prick growled at the teammate's choices they were forced to go with, but they left the room. Once it was empty, the old Commander sighed heavily. He sunk to the floor with his hand on his head, "I can only hope that we do not fail again…"

* * *

The group of heroes stopped right at the entrance to the forest. Liliac hopped off of the robotic tanks as well as the others. Bluescale, wanting to be away from Oddette and safe, crawled onto Liliac's back. The human patted his head before looking towards their destination. The trees seemed to be very old and tall, the remainder of plant life grown to their full potential. Niobe stood beside the human, "This forest is believed to be the oldest in Hidden Kingdom. They say it is home to two beings; a great evil monster and a kind hearted protector."

Oddette laughed a bit before joining them, "Well, knowing we were sent here, I wouldn't be surprised if the problem was either one."

"What do you mean?" asked the leader.

"Well, we were told of a terrible demon that tortured the humans within this village. But, it was just a human cursed by another demon, and she only went in for food. To be honest, the monster here could not really be evil, or the protector could not really be as caring. We just have to hope we get lucky…"

The group set foot down the barely noticeable path. Bushes, vines, tree roots, every form of plant seemed to block a bit of each path. The high canopy and tight branches blocked most of the sun out. "Uh…I wish I could see…" complained Oddette. Then, a sickly green glow illuminated the area. The three turned to see the glow from their friend's horn. She stepped back, "Oh…did I uh…did I do something wrong? Oh, yeah, the light, yeah I should…I should stop…"

"No Niobe…" said Liliac. "You're fine…thanks…"

The Changeling was happy. Everything she did with the other humans was scolded against. But now, she did something right. The longer they ventured and stayed into the forest; they seemed to feel more peaceful. Bluescale started to climb from tree to tree, feeling more at home. Liliac even felt more relaxed, not a single negative thought entered her mind. Oddette, however, felt something else. She too felt calm, but in this forest you should never feel like this.

About an hour passed, the village was nowhere in sight. They all stopped and looked around. "I think…I think we're lost…" Liliac said embarrassed. She hoped that she would remember the way, but sadly she couldn't. "I wish there was some way to tell where we are…" Oddette walked to a large tree, pulled her weapon out, and began to cut into the trunk. A few trees swayed in response, but only the Chameleon felt it. "Uh…Oddette…what doing…?"

Oddette pushed her saw further in, "Well…you asked for a way to find our location. Well, here we can tell where we have been."

The trees literally felt like they were moving. Bluescale was starting to panic. He changed to invisible as a few roots seemed to move. The others felt the ground beginning to move, Oddette stopping her marking. "What…was that…?"

Tree roots shot up around them, knocking both humans' weapons away. Niobe panicked, turning very quickly and running away. However the roots shot up, trapping them. While the leader was nervous, Oddette was not. She pulled out a yoyo and began to twirl it. "I'm not letting a plant show me up!" She flung her yoyo at the root, let it wrap around, and tugged it. The tree root pulled back, catching both the yoyo and her arm. The stitched human looked astonished; however she did not have much time to react. Vine sprouted from the ground and wrapped around her, taking her to pieces.

"I'm sorry, but I can't take this anymore…" Niobe said nervously. She quickly flapped her wings, hoping to escape. However a vine caught her leg and shoved her down. Roots formed a cage around her.

The only human that was left was Liliac. As the roots lurched at her, she jumped off of them and the other trees with ease. She remembered her father's training, take an enemy's force and use it to your advantage. The human projected herself up to the top limb of the new tree. She balanced herself on the branch, ready for the next oncoming attack. However, the attacking roots sunk back into the ground. The human was confused, however a new force attacked. The branch she was on wrapped finger-like twigs around her body, grabbing hold of her. Liliac struggled against the tree's grasp. The branch pulled her in towards the center trunk where a face seemed to be. The girl stopped in slight fear as the "tree" looked at her. "Why have you damaged these woods?!" it shouted. The leader said nothing, for the words surprised her too much.

Bluescale was still invisible, but he jumped from his previous tree to the one Liliac was being held at. He crawled up the "arm" and stopped on his human companion's head. Liliac felt him, but said nothing. The Chameleon Prince took in a breath before turning visible.

The face looked surprised, seeing him so suddenly. "Why hurt friends?" he asked. "Did nothing wrong, just move forest."

The tree pointed a "finger" at the disassembled human. "This one attempted to cut down one of the trees, one that has been growing for over thousands of years."

Oddette sighed; this was going to be payback. She wanted to kill the scaly animal for the prank, and now was his opportunity to get her back. Bluescale sighed, "We no hurt tree…mistake." Oddette looked at him in surprise, as well as the tree. Liliac and Bluescale were let down by the tree but the other two were not released. The tree returned to its normal state, however a new plant started to move. The animal and human saw a beautiful red flower. But they began to back up, the flower was growing taller and bigger. The flower pod opened, revealing what looked to be a human. Her hair, eyes, skin, just about everything about her seemed to be colored green. She wore a torn green fabric shirt, green spikes formed on her shoulders, and a purple flower in her hair. Her entire lower body was a single thick green vine that rooted into the ground.

"I am Chlora Plast" she said. "I help protect these woods from intruders and threats."  
Liliac bowed in respect, "I am sorry if we caused any harm. We were attempting to arrive at the village in the center of these woods. You see, we received word of an evil monster resting in the forest, and we have come to take care of the problem."

Chlora fell to the ground in tears. The human and chameleon were taken back by this sudden reaction. The flower girl continued her sobs, "The people…they always…always call me…a monster…" She calmed herself slightly but remained on the ground. "I helped them through the forest, I saved them from animals, I did all that I could, and they still treat me horribly…"

Liliac quickly grabbed her arm. Chlora was surprised, thinking she was going to be attacked. However instead, she was met with another surprise. The chameleon that was once on the human's head was now wrapped around her neck. At first she believed the animal was attempting to strangle her, but then she realized he was also nuzzling her. Bluescale was giving her an affectionate hug. Chlora could not really respond to this, she has never been given a hug in years. Her voice was silent; she was in too much shock. The only thing she could do is return the hug. The roots around Niobe fell, and the vines tangling Oddette dropped. Bluescale crawled over to Oddette as she was assembling herself. He grabbed her right arm with his tongue and handed her it, "No…hard…feelings…?"

Oddette smiled as she gently grasped her arm and reattached it. "Sure…no hard feelings" she said. Bluescale turned to walk away, but Oddette grabbed his tail. The chameleon's nervousness came back, but he was met with a smile and not a look of rage. "But next time you want to pull a prank, tell me…" Bluescale gave his friend a rather sinister smile while nodding.

As the others recovered, Chlora bowed, "Please forgive me for attacking you."  
Liliac bowed, "We should be asking you for forgiveness, mighty protector of the forest."  
Chlora blushed, however her face just flushed into a deeper hue of green. "Uh…you all are different but stay together, why?"

"We are members of a peace organization. Our goal is to bring all of Hidden Kingdom's life together."

The girl could not believe her ears, she dreamed of this. Being accepted by a large group, humans or not, was her one true wish. Her roots uprooted before she shuffled a bit towards them. "Uh…if it is not too much to ask…could I…join?"

"But…aren't you the protector of the forest?" asked Niobe.

"Some of the villagers are making a path so they would not get lost. And so that they wouldn't see…" Chlora seemed sad but straightened up. "I am sure they will be fine. So…can I join…?"

Liliac looked to the others, each one nodded in agreement. The girl hugged Liliac quickly without question, "Oh thank you so much!"

**CHLORA PLAST 102**

The human girl winced in pain, trying to push away. Chlora noticed this and immediately let go. She had several pricks out on her shoulders; where she herself had thorns. However the human was holding her hand in pain. She was about to ask, but the human gave her a look, basically telling her not to say a work. The plant girl returned the two humans their weapons and as a group they left.

Behind them, several barbed vines sunk into the ground. Every weed and disastrous plant sunk into the ground. In reaction, a large plant rose from the ground, growing into a very tall figure. "Finally…the mighty protector is gone…" it said, "Now I can have a bit of fun… But first I need to make sure the village doesn't get any ideas."


	24. Desert Rescue

Pigeon Queen flew above the bright desert sands. The two royal Porcupines rode below as Kitari rode beside them. Prick was not in the least happy about this mission one bit. Sure he still had his sister with him, but he hated going with the Pigeon Queen. The way she treated everyone, even random strangers, made him sick. The desert sands were calm at the moment, no wind there to spray the grains into their eyes. Unfortunately, that meant there was no way to cool them down. Bubbles was being shielded by her brother, but everyone else was experiencing intense heat. "Why were we sent here?!" Prick finally spoke, "It's too hot!"

"At least the sky is clear" said Pigeon Queen. "It almost seems like this area of Hidden Kingdom is at peace…"

"That's because nobody's here! You would have to be completely insane to live in the middle of all of this sand!"

Kitari let out a small snort but she turned serious, "Don't look now Prick, but I think I found someone insane enough."

The remaining trio of animals looked out into the distance. A seeming normal pile of large rocks lay out in the middle of the field. However, there seemed to be an opening in the middle. The group looked to each other before heading over themselves. Prick entered in and let out a loud audible sigh of relief as he entered the rock cluster, "Man it feels good in here!" He looked around, seeing maybe pots of various objects. "Who lives here?" he asked.

"I do…" The group turned to see a very large scorpion. His skin was blue while his face had a red X marking along with a few other markings around it. Everyone backed up as he entered. "What brings you here?"

Prick was still stiff from seeing a scorpion, holding Bubbles very tightly. He placed whatever was in his claws down and turned to the Pigeon Queen. "Ah your majesty, forgive me for not recognizing you before." He bowed gently, showing the utmost respect.  
The Queen smiled, "Such formalities are not necessary. Now, who might you be?"

He bowed again, but stayed down. "My name is Snipes. I was once a high ranking official palace guard at Scorpion Castle." His bow stopped when he slumped over, "That is…until I was rudely kicked out."

Prick broke out of whatever trance he was in and smiled, "What happened? Did you forget to watch the King in his sleep?"

The Porcupine Prince laughed at his own terrible joke, but he was soon silenced. Snipes pinned him to the edge of his home just before he pointed his stinger at him. "I was rudely kicked out by the new king, Eagleclaw. He proclaimed that I was being too nice to humans, so he decided to tell me…"

"Like I keep saying, being too nice is a bad thing."

The scorpion quickly jabbed Prick in the shoulder and dropped him. The Prince fell to the ground and automatically stood on his hands. He struggled against it, but he couldn't move. The others looked at him, but he shrugged, "It's not what you think. I can make him stop whenever I want, but not right now." He crawled away and started to pack a few things. Kitari spoke up, "What are you doing?"

"The rest of Scorpion Castle may be fooled, but shall stay loyal" he muttered. "King EagleClaw is trying to win dominance over the other animal royalty in favor of High Roller. I just learned that he captured Camel King's best student to show him how good he is. But he won't get away with this, not if I have anything to say about this." He strapped whatever he needed to his back at set out. Kitari and Pigeon Queen both stood side by side, blocking the entrance. The scorpion looked at them both, "You two want to come with me…don't you?"

Bubbles managed to walk up to him, as well as Prick walking on his hands. "Me and my sister will help, that is if you TURN ME UPRIGHT ALREADY!"

"Are you ready to behave yourself?"

"Are you ready to be less UGLY?!"

Snipes sighed as he turned to the others, "Do we really have to bring him?" The others nodded, bringing the scorpion's hopes even lower. "Fine…but he better not mess this up." Snipes grabbed him and placed him on one of the machines they were riding. "I'll fix you if you don't talk the rest of the time."

* * *

Inside Scorpion Castle, a golden scorpion crawled down to the lower levels. The underground of the castle held the prison cells. The Scorpion continued to go down until he came onto his destination. He turned and smiled as he stared at the prisoner. It was a Camel, an oddly dressed camel. She wore bronze glasses, a large tan tarp over her body, and an outrageous wig. His claw tapped against the bars, catching her attention. "What the heck man?" she asked. "I thought you were nice to all us animals man…"

The King smiled, "I am…it is true. But there is one animal I truly hate. Silk…that psychotic sheep getting High Roller's good side…" His claws bent the bars a bit while his tail jabbed the ground. However he collected himself before turning away, "Once High Roller sees that I am more sufficient than that pointy puff ball, I, King EagleClaw, shall be High Roller's most appointed King! Well, besides Bearstomp of course."

"But…" The Camel's interruption caused the King's mood to change suddenly. He turned in slight confusion. "What if, like, he doesn't?"

EagleClaw smiled deeply, "Well…I guess you will be getting used to that cell now won't you?" The camel gasped as the golden scorpion crawled away. Bedsheet hoped someone was coming for her; otherwise this would be her new home.

* * *

"I usually do not do this, but our main objective here is stealth" Snipes explained. He and the other members stood behind the large rocks that stood in front of the castle. Prick was back down on his feet, but he was being constantly watched by the scorpion.

"You sound troubled, why…?" asked Pigeon Queen.

"I was a head guard remember? I was always good at ambushes and guerilla warfare. I never knew anything about stealth."

Kitari stepped forward with pride. "Let me go in. I can do this no problem."

Prick snorted out loud, "Oh please…the only thing you know how to do with no problem is to look…" Prick was silenced as he instead let out a short scream. He soon found himself upside down yet again. Snipes grumbled as well as Prick.

"Like I was saying…" the demon spoke, "I think I can do this." Kitari placed her hands together and focused. Sweat went down her forehead as she focused. Very slowly, she started to turn invisible. Everyone gasped in surprise, but she lost her concentration. She collapsed to her knees in exhaustion. Pigeon Queen ran over to her and helped her up.

"That was a nice effort Kitari" Snipes said, "But I am afraid you cannot use your…abilities correctly."

"Uh…excuse me…" The group turned to the upside down Porcupine struggling. His arms shook while he tried to keep himself up. "I may have an idea…IF SOMEONE WOULD LET ME OFF MY HANDS!" The group turned to Snipes, waiting. The scorpion sighed and stung him again. Prick landed on his back in a loud sigh. "FINALLY! I never knew when I would feel my arms again…"

Pigeon Queen quickly helped him up, "Now what is your idea Porcupine Prince?"

Bubbles started to laugh while she pointed towards his back. The other walked around to see what was so funny. Prick's entire back was covered in sand. Even his spines seemed to be covered. While Kitari laughed along with his sister, Snipes looked intrigued. His face flashed with realization, "That's it! We can camouflage ourselves to get close to the castle! I never knew you had it in you Prick."

Prick looked confused, but he managed a smile, "Uh…yeah…yeah! It's like they say, the best place to hide is in plain sight."

* * *

Nightfall began to descend on Scorpion Castle. A couple of guards were on the lookout. A warm wind blew through the desert, picking the sand up and blowing it into small piles. The guards continued their observing elsewhere, they did not need to worry about sand piles. As they looked to another area, the same sand piles moved closer and closer to the castle. Once they were out of view from the guards, the heroes climbed out. The sand fell off of Snipes easily; it took time for the others. Kitari was the second one to get sand completely out, the next was Bubbles. Pigeon Queen and Prick still had trouble.

"Okay…we made it this far" Snipes said. "We are going to have to split up."

"Wait, don't you know where the prison cells are?" asked Kitari.

"I'm not going for the prisoner…I'm going after EagleClaw." Everyone gasped, but he raised a claw, "Look…I know it's risky, but he deserves what's coming to him. Him and High Roller, they each need to be taken down a peg. And I will be the one to do it. The cells are on the bottom level, take the third door down the hall and it will lead you there."

Without another word, Snipes crawled off after the King. Prick clapped his hands together, "Well…off to save the prisoner…" He took a few steps until Pigeon Queen stopped him. "What? If he wants to get himself killed, let himself get killed."

"You unbearably rude brute!" she exclaimed. "I have never seen such selfishness in all my life! We cannot just stand here, rescue this prisoner, and watch him go to his own demise!"

"She's right…" Kitari said. "But she's also wrong." The two were confused, but they let her continue. "You three go find the prisoner; I'll stay here and find Snipes."  
Pigeon Queen placed a wing on her shoulder, "Be careful dear…"

Kitari nodded before going after their scorpion friend. Prick wanted to grunt, but he kept it to himself. If Snipes lived and learned about this, he would be standing on his arms again. The trio ran down the hall after the prisoner.

* * *

The prison cells were lined across the halls. All three animals peered out to look down. The halls were empty, at the moment. "Now's our chance" said Prick. He tried to step out, but his teammate stopped him with an outstretched wing. "Prick, these cells won't open easily. Their locks can only be opened with a Scorpion stinger. Your quills are not even large enough. We need to…"

Without question, a tiny spiked ball rolled from them. It unrolled, showing Bubbles. She laid on her back, several of her quills extended. Pigeon Queen was about to step in, but it was Prick's turn to hold her back. The two watched as her quills entered the lock and started to twist into it. However her strategy was not invisible. Several scorpions began to crawl down the hall, stingers ready. Prick leapt into action, "Look out Bubbles!" He curled up into ball and blocked his sister. His cries of pain were audible, enough to reach the ears of Pigeon Queen. She gasped at this, for she never knew Prick was kind enough to take hits for others. She gently grasped her necklace as she moved into the darkness.

Prick couldn't take any more hits; he uncurled and lay against the sandy floor. The scorpions chuckled as they came closer. They each raised their stingers high, ready to finish him. The Porcupine would scream, but he saw a sinister shadow loom over them. He smiled, "I wouldn't turn around if I were you…" The two scorpions turned around, each one meeting a monstrous bird's head face to face. The two guards backed up in fear, Prick now between them. "I told you two not to turn around…" The guards could not say anything, only stand still with absolute silence. They were forced back against the wall, motionless in complete fear. Bubbles finished with the lock, the door opening. Prick met with her to meet the prisoner, however when she stepped out she was met with surprise faces.

"Whoa dudes…" said Bedsheet. "You guys are, like, awesome. Thanks for the save man." She turned her head, "Whoa…who's the freaky bird?"

Prick said nothing but he smiled. Pigeon Queen continued to stare them down in her monstrous form. The two guards could not leave her stare. Then, as if sudden, they passed out. The bird glowed as it changed back into the beautiful Pigeon Queen. Bedsheet walked to her. "Pigeon Queen…it's an honor…"

The beautiful bird bowed in respect before the strange camel walked to Bubbles to thank her properly. Prick was stopped by Pigeon Queen. He looked back, confused on the expression she is giving him. "I saw how you protected your sister…"

Prick sighed in defeat. "Listen…" he said. "I know I can be a real jerk, and I don't know why I enjoy it so much, but…I don't want my sister to do the same. She's young and innocent, that's why she could get away with so much. But, I don't want her to grow up like me or get hurt."

Pigeon Queen gently hugged him, "You're secret is safe with me."

Prick returned the hug shortly but stopped. "We got the prisoner, but what about Snipes?" The others agreed before they ran back up. "On no wait…hold on." Prick ran back with a vile filled with purple liquid. He threw it on the ground around the guards, covering them with a purple mist. "Okay…now we can go."

* * *

Another guard was thrown against the wall unconscious. Snipes dusted his claws off before he turned. "He really increased the security around here…" he sighed. The scorpion knew getting his revenge wouldn't be easy, but that was the fifth guard now. "Maybe I should have went with those kids…"

"Indeed you should…"

Snipes turned around, quickly receiving a claw to the face. King EagleClaw chuckled as his enemy recovered. "EagleClaw, your rule will end! I have been waiting years for this…" Snipes jumped towards the king, but the golden scorpion scuttled quickly to the side. Before he could react, EagleClaw punched him once again with his claws.

"You're past your prime old guard…" the King chuckled. "There is a reason the old King died out…" The king seemed to vanish as he reappeared behind his enemy. Snipes was too slow to react as he was quickly jabbed in the side. Scorpion venom never affected their own kind, but the pain it caused was still there. Snipes tried to defend, but the King was too fast. He stopped directly in front of the guard, "The old King was running out of time as it is. The kingdom needed a new ruler, so I stepped up. I am far more skilled than the king."

"You call yourself a King?!" he shouted. "A King respects all of the people within his kingdom. You force the humans to more extremes than when the old King stayed with High Roller!"

EagleClaw chuckled, "You know…you always were too nice for your own sake. Those humans don't deserve any respect. And you…" Eagle Claw picked his enemy up and slammed him down. Snipes's age and weary body was working against him. He could not move that much. "You will die…just like every human did by me!"

The golden scorpion was blasted off of him by a large ball of red light. The old scorpion looked behind him, seeing Kitari with her swords out. "Not what I was going for but okay…" She ran to his side before blocking the King from Snipes. The King was surprised to say the least.

"A human…? Here…? IN THE CASTLE?!"

"That's right! Come and get me!"

Kitari launched herself at the king, both began to battle freely. With EagleClaw distracted, Pigeon Queen and Prick helped him up. Before he could ask, he was lead out of the area. At the same time, the demon girl was slammed against the wall. She was pinned by the king's massive claws. "Did you really think you…a human…could defeat ME?!"

Kitari smiled, "One…I'm not a normal human…and two, I just taught someone a new word."  
Suddenly, Bubbles popped up from behind the human. "Surprise!" she exclaimed. The King was caught off guard as the tiny porcupine threw a vile filled with purple liquid. A gas exploded from the vile and covered the king. The two heroes quickly made their escape with ease. The King gagged as he fanned the gas away. He looked around confused, "What…what am I doing here?"

* * *

Outside, away from the castle, the group reformed. Prick cuddled with his sister, congratulating her on helping Kitari and learning a human word. Snipes breathed a few deep breaths before facing the group. "I must thank you for the saving me. I have never met a human with more guts." Kitari smiled from embarrassment.

Pigeon Queen addressed him. "My dear Snipes" she said. "I cannot say but how reckless that was. EagleClaw is a very tough scorpion, and an old guard such as yourself should not fight him head on."

Snipes frowned a bit, "I know…it just pains me to see humans be treated so badly!"

"Why not come with us?" Prick interrupted. "We could use someone with your experience. Besides Bedsheet seems to like it."

The Camel nodded, "A place where humans and animals coexist is definitely peace…you with us dude…?"

Snipes looked around and observed the teammates. Pigeon Queen, a well known ruler both for her wisdom and kindness. Prick, a selfish animal but shows compassion at times. Snipes understood the "tough guy" act for he once attempted that. Bubbles was silly and careless, but she was still very skilled for her age. Kitari was a human, a cursed one with uncontrollable powers, but with a noble heart set in the right place. His knowledge on this "Bedsheet" character was limited, but she was sure to be good. Snipes bowed, "I would be honored to join such a noble group. I thank you for allowing me to join."

**BEDSHEET 038**

**SNIPES 036**

The group set out back for base. Snipes allowed Prick and Bubbles to ride on his back for the trip. He looked up at him, "So…I heard you protected your sister…" Prick grunted, trying to keep it down. Snipes heard this, "Go ahead say it…I promise I won't sting you."

"THAT LYING BIRD BRAIN QUEEN!" he shouted, "I'LL STICK SO MANY NEEDLES IN HER THAT SHE'LL BE CONSIDERED A PORCUPINE!"


	25. Members and Surprises

A large storm filled the skies; thunder and lightning crashing throughout the land. The sun was blotted out by the massive thick clouds, almost giving the impression of nighttime. The kind of weather would make everyone take cover inside. However that was not entirely true. Deep within a forest, a lone figure slithered down a muddy trail. Mud was splashed around as the poor creature moved. Its breathing was short and fast, as if it has been running for a while. Behind it, several humans were chasing after it. Pitchforks and other sharp farming tools were carried as unbelievably lit torches lit the way. They followed the trail that it made until it suddenly stopped.

"Where did that thing go?!" one human shouted.

"Hey!" a man shouted, "I think I see a trail down this way!" The humans ran down the path in a raging fury. The bushes behind them rustled slightly, the creature stepping out. It slowly slithered away as the rain poured. It entered a cave, piled some wood, and slowly lit a fire. The newly lighted cave revealed the creature. It was a naga, a human-like creature with the lower body of a snake. Her snake tail had glimmering green scales and a pale yellow underbelly. Her human half had pale skin and wore a light gray half robe. Her black hair stuck to her body from the rain. She brushed it away, revealing that she was wearing a blindfold. Even though she came out of the storm, visible tears were below her eyes.

"I'm…thorry everyone…" she said sadly. The fire grew bigger when she threw on more wood. In the one corner of her home, were several humans. However, these humans were completely made of stone, posed in a position of fear or terror. Against the wall were tables and shelves filled with tubes and bottles. As her tears fell, she let them drop into a tube. Once she had enough she placed it on the shelf with the others. She slowly sunk back down and coiled near what looked like several patches of fabric. The naga took one last look at the statues, "I promithe…I'll make thingth right for you again…" She laid her head down against her tail, sadly drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Although the storm was everywhere, a group of animals wandered through the stormy fields. Leading them was the Eagle Princess. Behind her were three animals of different species. As they walked closer to the base, Maya's eyes suddenly detected something. Out in the distance was a lone figure, humanoid in shape. It fell to the ground, most likely from exhaustion. "Come on" the eagle spoke to the others, "Let's get it inside." The other animals followed her as she walked towards it.

* * *

Inside the base, Kawkee was rummaging in his medical bag. Liliac sat at a table, her hand laid out carefully. Her dear cheetah sister stood beside her, while a few other members surrounded her. Kawkee found what he was looking for and then returned to the table. He gently raised Liliac's hand and began to wrap bandages around it. Her hand seemed slightly red and swollen. "You're lucky I discovered this earlier, you could have lost your entire arm."

The girl winced as she was being bandaged. Pink Spec turned to her, "What happened anyway? It looks like it was bit or something."

Liliac looked away, "I…it…Brave One…she bit me…"

Everyone seemed to gasp but Kawkee at the moment. "Why would she do that?" asked Pink.

"She…she told me to leave."

The others conversed on the subject. One member, however, walked off. Richter grew suspicious; he knew the little monkey was mysterious, but not hostile. He wandered the hallway where he saw her the most. She slowly walked down the hall, looking as innocent as she usually does. But the Groundhog Prince was not going to play into her act this time. He grabbed her rather roughly, causing her to hiss. "Alright Brave, talk! I know you can…" The little monkey said nothing, she only flailed her arms to try and get free. Richter was not one to let go so easily. But in their fit they did not notice the hatch behind them opening. A long hand stretched out if the door, and without a single hesitation, slapped Richter alongside the head. The arm retracted as the two animals were thrown against the wall. Brave One made a break for it as the Groundhog Prince rubbed his aching head. "What…was that?!" he shouted.

* * *

As Kawkee put the finishing touches on Liliac's hand, the door slammed open. Everyone turned to see a soaking Maya. Behind her were three animals but they didn't worry about them just yet. They were more concerned on the injured animal on her shoulder. Liliac moved so the eagle could place it on the table. The animal in question was a tiger, or what seemed to be a tiger. If anything, she looked like a cross between a human and a tiger. She wore an orange vest and pants, while her skin seemed to be a pale white with deep red stripes. She had a tuff of brown hair on her head and torn bandages around her right eye. No one knew exactly what was wrong with her, but that was Cyber's job.

His red eye glowed as a small light scanned the tiger's body. The light retracted as the scan was complete. "SUSPECT IDENTIFIED: TIGER FEMALE" he spoke. "STATUS: UNCONSIOUS. INJURIES: EXTREME EXHAUSTION AND MAJOR TISSUE DAMAGE AROUND RIGHT EYE."

Kawkee began to unravel the bandages to replace them with new ones. Liliac drew her attention to the three unknown animals. The first was a crane, the second was a deer, and the third was a beetle. "Maya…" she started, "Who are these three animals?"

The eagle princess finally dried herself off, "Oh, those are new members I found. They seemed really-" She was cut off as Liliac used her other hand to hold her against the wall.

"What were you thinking?! One of these animals could go to High Roller and give away our location! You brainless little…"

"Uh…actually…" The human turned to the deer. The deer almost appeared to have markings of her own skeleton and holes in her legs. She wore a strangely familiar hat on her head. "Maya told us that we will be put to the test before we officially join. And all of us agreed that we would not tell anyone anything." The other two nodded, causing Liliac to drop Maya. The eagle coughed a bit before she got up. She walked towards the deer, "This is Skeleton Key, the Deer Princess."

The deer blushed, "Please…call me Skully."

The beetle walked forward. His shell was a metallic gray and his long horn was split into a prong. His eyes were a deep red with yellow pupils, but they showed more pleasant emotions rather than malice. Liliac smiled, now over her suspicion phase. "Hello, what's your name? she asked. The beetle dropped his arms sadly and looked away. He did a few hand signals before looking at the ground.

"Liliac, this is Silver Shell. He is the son of Beetle King. However he cannot speak, he is mute."

The human suddenly understood his sudden emotion change. "Oh…" she spoke with a sigh, "Well, I am sorry…" Silver Shell waved his arm in a motion that read "Don't worry about it."

Finally the Crane walked forward. His head feathers seemed to be messy like most humans would keep their hair. It had a decent amount of red mixed in with the white. "I am Bloodstone, son of the new Crane Queen."

"Wait, Crane Queen?" Pink Spec spoke up, "What happened to Crane King?"

"He passed away sadly. He will be missed, by all of us."

The cheetah approached Bloodstone as he was obviously in pain. She rested a paw on his shoulder, "He was a wise leader and a powerful crane."

The hatch opened once more, signaling the arrival of new enterers. Brave One led the old commander into the room. She shot a glare at the human, causing her to step back a little. The old commander walked closer to Liliac with his assistance's help. "Liliac" he started, "Although you have been quite a help to us, I am afraid that I will have to ask you to leave." The other members gasped, well all except for Brave One and Kawkee. Brave One seemed to be hiding a smile while Kawkee was too focused on his patient. "Now now, do not fret dear human. I am not kicking you out of the team. It just seems that YX is going through quite a bit of pain. And it seems to originate from you staying here."

Liliac looked at Brave One, hissing a bit but then looking back with a smile. She didn't know if that monkey tricked Ape Truly or if she really brought him to YX. But either way she did not feel right about what she is doing. YX was getting possibly weaker and weaker, and it was because of her. She stood up and approached the two, "Alright, I will leave. However I would like to speak with YX."

Before Brave One could even move to protest, Ape Truly smiled, "Consider it done." The pink monkey sneered at the human, whose only response was a smile back. She was lead straight to his room. Immediately the human felt a disturbance, as if everything good has just died. She gently knocked on his room door.

"Who…who is it?" Liliac was surprised by the voice. It was indeed YX's, however his voice sounded terrible. She did not know if he was sick, injured, dying, or a combination of all three. It sounded like his voice was raspy, full of holes and almost unrecognizable at times.

"I-It's L-Liliac…" The human was almost afraid to answer.

"Ah…" He began to cough really hard. Each cough made Brave One angrier, almost wanting to attack the human. "I-I…I should have…known…I could f-feel you're…hostility. What do…you want?"

Liliac swallowed her fear and calmed herself. "YX, I have heard that me staying here has caused you pain. I am just here to tell you that until further notice, I will be staying out of and away from Big Green."

A comforting sigh was heard through the wall. "I…I am sorry that you have to leave on my behalf."

"No, obviously I still have not calmed the war in me. And I cannot risk another teammate getting hurt because of something foolish of myself. I will leave once I gathered enough provisions."

A small chuckle was audible, "Such sacrifice, such nobility, Liliac you are closer than you think. You just have one thing to do, and it is the simplest thing in the world."

"Can I have a hint?"

A chuckle came but quickly turned into a cough, right before it turned once again to laughter. "You're cute, very cute."

* * *

Back inside the main room, the three members were simply conversing. Kawkee finished the touches on their unknown tiger friend's eye but was now conversing with Liliac's cheetah sister. The hatch opened, showing the gray-haired human with a backpack full of things and her weapon. Pink Spec ran to her sister and hugged her tightly, "Oh Liliac…I don't want to see you leave." The human held the tears back but returned the passionate hug.

"I…I have to do this Pink" the human replied. "YX is suffering because of me, and he said I was close to accepting true peace. I need to go out, do my own missions and do my own things. And maybe when I come back, maybe I will be accepted."

"Y-You are accepted…by us…"

Kawkee slowly approached, causing the trans-species siblings to end their hug early. "If I may…use this on your little journey…" The alien handed her a small metal device that resembled a compass. "I proposed that we would be discovered, so I built several different isolated homes as a backup. This device will guide you to one of the homes. I have it set for one that is decently far from the base. The storm should be clear enough to let you go through easily. Everything you need will be there."

She quickly hugged the alien before she pocketed the device. Pink Spec led her outside to give her a ride. The other members waved before they both left. Misty approached the alien, "Are you sure you didn't hand them an explosive?"

"I just made that thing; of course it's not an explosive." Kawkee pulled out a notepad from seemingly nowhere and scribbled down some notes, "But that is a very good idea."  
An audible inhale was heard, it was from the tiger. She sat up and looked around nervously. Everyone was on edge; they knew how violent a tiger could be. Once she found her surroundings, she exhaled a sigh of relief. Her focus was now on the old commander. "Please…help" she pleaded. The other members quickly calmed down. "My name Mint" she continued. "Lost from clan, homeless, need help." Her simple sentences were enough for everyone there.

"Now now my dear" Ape Truly stated, "Big Green can be your new home."

"Thanks…" She slowly stood up from the table and bowed. "Forgive for bad speak, cannot speak human."

The eagle princess smiled as she placed a wing on her shoulder, "Do not worry Mint, you are not the only one."

"Yeah" Misty blurted out, "You could be like Silver Shell and can't speak at all!" Yaksha quickly covered the female twin's mouth before she could say anything else. The beetle looked down in sadness. This insult caused Mint to growl. She quickly grabbed Misty and pinned her to the wall, freeing her from Yaksha's grasp. She growled directly in the human's face, "Human be nice! Team we are!" Misty quickly nodded in terrible fear. Mint released her, the human dropping to the ground quickly. Misty caught her breath as her brother approached her.

"Anything else going to happen today?" Red Ray said sarcastically.

The door opened yet again quite harshly. Venom slithered inside before Lovely walked in. Chusi was tied around her neck. "You guys may want to see this" Lovely spoke.

Venom looked back, "…and bring a medical bag."

* * *

The two serpents and human led the members down to the docking bay. As they walked more members followed. Lying in his bed was Obsidian. The Oyster-Rahma was not looking very well. The barbed shell was either heavily cracked or heavily dented. The barbs on his shell were either shattered or broken, and the teeth that lined his shell were smashed to bits. Everyone was surprised at his injuries. Cyber and Kawkee each approached the poor damaged animal. Cyber scanned him, "SUSPECT IDENTIFIED: OBSIDIAN. STATUS: UNCONSCIOUS. MAJOR INJURIES: SEVERLY CRACKED SHELL, INTERNAL BLEEDING, INPROPER SHELL ALIGNMENT, CRACKED…" Kawkee stopped him, for the amount of injuries were too great for him to properly concentrate.

Ape Truly was devastated; he had no sight but he heard the robot's scans. "How did you find him?" he asked to no one in particular.

"We found him resting on the very edge of the dock" explained Lovely. "He was exhausted so we placed him in his bed."

Kawkee and Cyber checked over everything they observed. "He's lucky he made it back" the alien spoke, "Any longer swimming in his condition could have killed him." Kawkee suddenly looked back, "Hmm…? What is this…?" He reached back and pulled out a seemingly common piece of seaweed. However it seemed to have the faintest glow. Cyber turned while he scanned the plant.

"OBJECT IDENTIFIED: ABYSSAL SEAWEED" he spoke.

"What's that?" asked Misty, "Isn't that just seaweed?"

"Seaweed is a common oceanic plant that grows just about everywhere" Cyber said with a new "human" like voice. "Abyssal Seaweed is a type of seaweed that grows primarily in deep waters, around abysses and deep crevasses."

"That's must be where the others are!" Red Ray exclaimed.

The Commander walked forward before turning to the group present. "Alright everyone, we need a plan of action" he started. "Kawkee and I have been talking, and we prepared something for this." Kawkee seemed joyous as he pulled a remote from his gem. As he pressed the button, a section of the ceiling opened up. Very slowly, these three machines were dropped down. Two of them looked like pods while the third seemed to be one cut in half.

"Everyone…welcome to the new century" the alien started. "These pod-like machines are called submersibles. They can dive deeper than any whale can and withstand hits entirely, thanks to the metal coating around it. I also added a depressurizing adapter to the pod, allowing you to swim in high pressure waters for a short time. The other is a boat that I have supped up with a motor. This can travel just as fast as any sea creature, maybe even faster."

"Using these new inventions we can perform the mission easier" continued Ape Truly. "Misty, Red Ray, you two take one of the subs and travel to the last known location of our scout troop." As the twins walked forward, Lovely walked from behind. "I am sorry Lovely, you are not going on this mission." Cyber rolled in front of her and headed towards the pod. "Kawkee made some modifications to Cyber's design, allowing him to be submersible as well as the pods are. We need someone to trace the location."

It was hard, but Lovely had to accept it. She couldn't go everywhere they went. However she stopped Cyber to turn him around, "Please…keep them safe." Cyber nodded and attempted to smile to show her his recognition.

"Now then, the other pod will remain here in case we need more members to back them" Ape Truly continued, "Lovely, you and Chlora will be sent to the arctic north. We were meaning to send the underwater team there after they were done but sadly we cannot at the moment."

Lovely placed Chusi down as Chlora stepped out of the group to the boat. Chusi tried to follow her but she was stopped by Lovely. "Chusi, the arctic north is a cold frigid area" she said. "Reptiles are not equipped for that environment." Venom snaked his tail around Chusi before taking her closer.

As bags of supplies were being loaded into each vehicle, the old commander led a few members away from the others. These members were Mint, Maiden, Kettle, and Oddette. "I have received word of a village in peril" he started. "Several villagers have been missing for days, and some were found turned to stone."

"Looks like this won't be as easy as the others…" Oddette mumbled.

"I would like you four to go to that village and investigate." As they headed out, they were stopped by Snipes. He wanted to come along, as he too wanted to help. The old commander allowed it. The other members parted ways to their smaller tasks before the others set out.


	26. The Naga

The rain may have stopped and the storm may have passed, but the ground was still severely wet. Each quick step Snipes took splashed a bit of mud up. Some of it collected on his legs as most of it splashed away. They soon arrived at the designated forest. The other members climbed off of the scorpions back before continuing. As they jumped off, mud was splashed up. Oddette smiled, "It's not the swamp gunk, but it's still not that bad." The others were not as accepting to the mud, and quickly tried to get it off, all except for Maiden. She was strangely calm about the massive amounts of mud. Once they were cleaned off, they treaded towards their destination. A signpost was conveniently placed a few feet within the forest. The post indicated two things; one was where the local village was, the other seemed more like a warning. It showed an evil creature that looked like a human combined with a snake. "Five gold bars say that that is the monster we're supposed to be here for." Oddette said confidently but obviously.

"We should check the village first." The scorpion quickly turned before crawling in the direction of the village. The others followed, all except for Mint. She made sure to stay back far enough to where they would not notice her disappearance. She stayed and looked at the sign once again. It looked evil that was true. However, she herself has been down that road. She herself has been renounced as a freak or a monstrosity of tiger kind. That was one reason why she was alone, no other tiger cared for her, not even her own parents.

Her vision focused on a small bush, ahead of the path to this "monster." It seemed like there was an object inside of it. Carefully, Mint walked down the path towards the bush. She reached in and pulled the said object. It was a small brown sack. Something was inside, but Mint was not the kind to snoop. She turned her attention down the path. "I wonder…"

* * *

The humans of the village were going about their normal business. Doing chores, performing work, the things they do to survive. One human was raking the dirt, but his attention was caught off by moving bushes. He looked around but grabbed the rake. He slowly approached the bush with it in his hands. The rustling got louder as the bush moved faster. The human raised his tool and swung it down into the bush. A loud "OW!" was clearly audible. The human farmer took his tool and watched as a Lion stood up from the bush. She rubbed her head as she turned, "You might want to take a good look next time sugar."

As Kettle stepped out, the others of her team joined her. The male farmer quickly spoke, "Please! You must help us!"

"What seems to be the problem?" asked Snipes.

"A horrible monster has been attacking our village for months. We have been sending warriors against it, but they never return…"

Oddette walked up while swinging her yoyo a bit. "Listen dude…I know that it seems like a monster" she said casually, "But from every time we've been somewhere that has been "terrorized by a monster" it was just a misunderstanding. What makes this one any different?"

"Because…our villagers never return once they set foot inside." Oddette stopped but her yoyo hit her in the head. A few villagers carried something out and placed it in front of the group. Even Oddette looked disgusted. The woman that was brought out was completely made of stone. Her pose was stuck in a fear filled shriek. Maiden looked at her gently, "How long has she been like this?"

"Three months…" The group gasped. The rumors were true. This wasn't just a misunderstanding; this was a real true monster, a monster that killed these humans and whoever entered its domain.

Snipes snipped his claws loudly, drawing their attention. "Are we stopping this thing or are we mourning over a statue? Let's go catch a monster!" Kettle and the others began to climb onto Snipes after he rudely ended that moment. The male from before ran up, "Just make sure that you are not alone in that area of the woods."

Oddette turned and smiled, "Don't worry about us, we're a team! We always…" She looked at the others, "Uh…wasn't there a tiger with us too?"

* * *

Mint walked carefully on the "monster's" trail with her bag slung over her shoulder. She followed the path precisely, not leaving away from it at all. She noticed some tracks that would be from a large snake. However it ducked into the woods a few feet ahead. Despite her animal instincts, she continued on the path. The mud was very thick where it was, possibly why the creature avoided that area. Despite that Mint continued. The tiger eventually climbed out of the thick mud and onto the trail again.

A few more minutes past and the sun seemed like it was about to set. Mint was beginning to get tired herself. However her energy returned once she saw a cave, the creatures many trails. Mint was about to enter, but something caught her eye. She focused, her eye glowing in response. She saw the creature, well at least her massive tail. Mint scurried to the side and then the top of the cave. Her ears perked and moved, trying to key into what it was saying. However all she heard was a bit of crying.

With a sniff it stopped, "How can I ever thave them now?!" Its cries seemed to be that of a common girl. "My bag had all of thothe ingredientth in them, now I cannot thee which one will work! Now I am a monthter…"

Mint's foot accidentally knocked a stone loose. It tumbled down and eventually fell at the mouth of the cave. The creature gasped as she moved back, "W-Who'th t-there?"

Mint jumped and landed with great force. Her sudden arrival caused the "monster" to moved back even deeper. "No wait" the tiger spoke. She removed the bad from her shoulder and held it out, "Found bag…it yours?" The creature moved forward a bit, her large tail shuffling against the ground. Mint edged forward, "No hurt you, me friend." She slithered forward, revealing herself to the strange tiger. Mint did not react badly; she only placed the bag in front of her. "My name Mint."

The naga girl quietly slithered, grabbed the bag, but moved back. "Hello Mint…I'm Thari…" she spoke in a quiet voice.

Suddenly a stinger became embedded into the side of the rocky wall. Both Mint and Shari looked back to see the group. "Quick Mint, get away from her!" shouted Snipes.

Maiden and Kettle jumped off and landed with a splash. The human's arms stretched, quickly grabbing Mint and pulled her to safety. The lioness's mane stretched and wrapped around Shari. With a yank the naga was pulled away from her home. As the mane untangled Oddette pulled her saw out. Shari became extremely nervous as she moved back.

"Wait!" shouted Mint, "Sh…ri…uh…snake friend!"

Oddette ignored the tiger however as her saw activated. A quick swipe sliced across her face, Shari turning in response. Her eye cloth laid in the mud filthy. The human grabbed the naga by the neck, "Alright snake skin, prepare to…" As Oddette turned her head, the naga's eyes were activated. The human immediately let go as her body began to stiffen. Very slowly, her body slowly turned to stone. It started at her head but then traveled down and over her body. Once her feet were covered, the statue of Oddette fell into the mud. Her teammates stood dumbfounded. The naga, on the other hand, took advantage of this. She grabbed her cloth in one motion and slithered back inside. Mint was the only one concerned for her, but she was held back by a familiar member.

"No Mint!" Kettle shouted, "You'll turn to stone too!"

The others began to carefully lift Oddette out of the mud. A solid look of surprise was frozen on her face. Maiden gently touched her face, "She…she looks so scared…What…can we do anything for her?"

"Maybe…thith…" The members turned to see the naga, with the cloth over her eyes, slowly slither out. Before the others could think of attacking, Mint stood between them and Shari with arms out. "No hurt snake friend!" she shouted. "She not bad, she good! Give chance!" The group stood shocked but Maiden smiled. If anything, she understood what the naga was going through. She herself have been called a freak at one time. Maiden stood aside, allowing her to pass.

Shari gently pulled out a small vial from behind her back. It glowed an eerie purple, something that caused them to worry. However Mint stopped them. The naga sighed before gently placing a few drops of the contents onto her head. At first, nothing happened. Shari turned and placed her hands to her face, crying a few tears. "I…I'm tho thorry everyone…" she mumbled, "I-I tried…b-but…"

A few cracks formed on Oddette's face. The cracks continued down her body, branching out to effect her arms and such. Then, chips of the stone shell fell. In a big puff of gray dust, Oddette stood still. She suddenly began to stretch, a few bones snapping back. She even detached a few parts to feel them again. "Whoa…" she spoke, "Never thought I would be able to move again."

Shari was speechless, however she grasped the bottle and screamed loudly, "ITWORKTHITWORKTHITWORKTHITWORKTH!"

Mint smiled and approached the naga. Out of feeling, Shari quickly hugged the tiger. She quickly realized what she was doing, however the strange tiger returned the hug. "Would someone please explain what is going on?" asked Snipes politely.

"My name is Thari" she spoke. "I am a naga, one with a unique ability. I have this thtare that can turn anyone into thtone. However I cannot turn thith ability off, tho I wear thith band. It thtill allowth me to thee through it, without the threat of otherth theeing my eyeth. I accidentally ran into the village one night without my band, turning theveral of their villagerth into thtone. After that I tried to make a cure. They thent warriorth and hunterth to thtop me, and I tried to explain it to them, but…I had no choice…"

Mint hugged her as well as Maiden. Shari dried up her tears before she continued her story, "Well…the good news was that I did find a cure. Bad news was that I had everything except for one ingredient. That last ingredient was by the village. Every night I tried to sneak out and get it. But every time I was hunted like some animal." But a small smile formed on her face, "But now…now I have everything I need!" She slithered back into her cave and began to make more. The teammates looked at each other; this would be a good day.

* * *

With the last few drops, the woman completely turned back. The others cheered as a small couple was reunited. The heroes accepted their thanks, informing them that there was no need to fear of the monster. The village cheered as the proclaimed the monster dead. The group made their way back down the muddy trail, after passing a certain distance away was joined by another. Shari slithered down beside them, looking a bit distressed. She was a bit upset that they were happy for being "dead," but the naga was happy that she would be free of their constant attacks.

"So Shari" spoke Maiden, "Now that you're free, what will you do now?"

The naga rubbed her arm in a bit of embarrassment, "Uh…well…I wath hoping that I could…join you?"

As the other members climbed onto Snipes, they all smiled back at her. Kettle gave her an open claw, "Welcome…"

**SHARI 008**

Shari happily took her hand and coiled around the scorpion's tail. The lioness turned to the tiger next, "And I do believe you have also earned the right to be a member." Mint gave the others a look that read "Really?!" They all nodded, making the tiger do a small cheer.

**MINT 013**

Snipes smiled, "It sure is going to be interesting with our new member." He moved his tail a bit, causing Shari to giggle slightly. He treaded through the dried mud and back to home base.


	27. The Revenge of Spotter

While most of the members were away, a few were simply enjoying themselves in Big Green. Kawkee was experimenting in his lab, still attempting to work on his fuel source. He mixed a couple of chemicals, the mixture bubbling in result. "Almost…" the chemical combination exploded, causing a cover of soot to cover the alien. "…finished…" He coughed before wiping himself off. "Stardust…another failed combination…" He took a brush and marked another pair off of a list. He looked at the next entry as he poured two together. "Okay…mix my alien compound with basic base formula and…" The vial began to glow a bit. Kawkee raised the glass container and checked it, "Oh silly me, this was the acidic base…" The chemical glowed brighter, bringing shock to Kawkee's eye. "Oh STARDUST!" He threw the vial and leapt behind a metal table. An explosion filled the room with smoke and horrible smell. Kawkee climbed from behind the now damaged table, "I…really need…to get…a blast shield…"

* * *

As things were getting chaotic inside, outside was no problem. Raya tugged her friend's claw as she hopped down. She wanted to see if the flowers began to grow again. Jade Claw was a bit nervous, being the cause of it. However that did not seem to affect the little rabbit. The field was looking quite well for what happened a few weeks ago. The grass has grown back, and many of the flowers were beginning to grow back. Raya giggled, "Look Jade Claw! Flowers grow!"

The Liger smiled, "Yeah…th-they are…" He would be lying if he thought he wasn't nervous. Everything was against him. He had feelings for Raya, he had little control of keeping it in, and he wanted to tell her then and there. But, he needed to take Kettle's advice, and hide it.

Raya's ears twitched, causing her to let go of his claw. Jade Claw became nervous when she let go. "Jade Claw…Raya hear noise." Her ears twitched again, her gaze looking down, "It under us."

Suddenly the ground burst open, several animals crawled out. They were Mantises, and they looked angry. Jade Claw blocked his friend, "Hide Raya, I have this."

Raya hopped away behind the tree. She turned back, watching as her friend battled the animals. Each Mantis was knocked away with either a swipe of his claws or a quick blast of flames. But they only took one hit before backing down. Even Raya found this different, her fear draining. A paw rested on her shoulder and forced her to turn. A dark shadow cast over her body as she turned. The rabbit princess cowered in fear, "…S-S-Spotter!"

The last Mantis was knocked away by his claw. It hit the ground hard before standing. He crawled to the hole, but slowly looked back. Jade Claw was still angry; however he seemed a bit calmer. The Mantis was green like the others, but he seemed so lightly shaded. His underside was blue striped as his blades were edged. He quickly drew lines in the ground before he disappeared into the hole. "That…that was strange" he spoke. Jade Claw has not spoken normally for quite some time. His voice almost surprised him. "Raya…you can come out now." Dead silence passed, the Liger turned, "Raya?" He walked towards the tree, observing it from all sides. He kept checking again and again, his fear growing. "Raya…R-Raya…R-R-Raya…?!" He ripped the tree out of the ground in his worry. As his eyes scanned the area, he caught onto something in the distance. It was a dust cloud, caused by something very fast. Jade's eyes narrowed, for he believed that was the cause of her disappearance.

* * *

Liliac was putting a few things away. Since this was going to be her home for a while, she might as well make herself home. This "bunker" seemed to be just about as big as her home near Cheetah Castle. It had a small kitchen, bedroom, along with just about everything else basic for a common home. Before she could place another thing away, the door that lead inside was knocked on. Liliac walked over and opened the door, only to be pounced on by a rushing pink blur. Pink Spec hugged her dear sister tightly. Liliac, although laughing at her reaction, started to struggle, "Come on Pink, I haven't even been gone for one hour and you already miss me?!"

"She's not the only one…" The two turned, seeing Maya walk through the door. Liliac's gaze hardened into a cold stare, immediately bringing a sense of hostility into the room. The eagle backed away slightly; however someone else pushed her in. It was Silver Shell, and he seemed happy. Liliac's face turned to a slight smile. Maya rubbed the back of her head slightly, "We…wanted to make sure you were comfortable…"

"I was…" Liliac muttered. "That is until you stepped in…"

Maya sunk back, saddened once again by a missed attempt to gain her trust. She did not blame her really; it is hard to get over a traumatic experience. But she should have been over it by now. Suddenly, the entrance to the home was blasted open. Dust was spurred up as everyone coughed. Well, everyone except for Silver. He breathed in worst and survived. A loud roar echoed through the room, deafening all. Silver still stood tall. A dark figured pounced in, tackling the beetle into the ground. He placed his arms together as the creature swiped his claws at him. To everyone's surprise, it was Jade Claw.

"WHERE IS SHE?! WHERE IS RAYA?!" It took the remaining three to hold him back, but he eventually calmed down. He helped the beetle up, "Please forgive me my friend…" Silver patted his back before bowing.

"Jade Claw, what were you so angry about?" asked Liliac. "Where is Raya?"

"She…she…she was kidnapped!" The others gasped in surprise. "There were so many of them. They were these weird bugs with long blade-like arms and they were wicked fast and…"

Silver clanged a piece of metal against the wall, catching their attention. He performed a series of hand motions to Maya. "Silver says that he knows what the creature Jade Claw is talking about." After a few more signs, the eagle looked very surprised. "It was the Mantis army!" she spoke with a gasp.

The other animals looked worried. Liliac, however, was completely confused. Although she has been friends with Pink for so long, she has not heard of all of the different animal species. "What are Mantises?" she asked. Immediately she was shot with several looks; angry, shocked, confused, and one that read "Are you that dumb?" She looked ashamed however once again, her worst "enemy" came to her aid.

"It's okay" Maya spoke as she rested a wing on her shoulder. "Not all humans are aware of all species." Although she wanted to punch her wing right off, the human let her. The eagle was starting to warm up to her. But the thoughts were pushed out of her head as she instead brushed her wing off. It was at least in the middle. Maya backed away uncomfortably but continued. "The Mantis army is one of the fiercest animal armies in Hidden Kingdom. They are as merciless as they come."

"And they have Raya!" Jade Claw punched his two closed fists together. "When I get my claws on them, I'm going to…"

Silver once again silenced the others. He did a series of arm motions and once again Maya translated. "Silver says that there is an easier way" she spoke. "He has a friend that is a Mantis. He has told Silver of the many locations of their small hideouts. He may know where she is."

The Liger Prince stomped towards the exit, "Good…the faster we get there the faster we save Raya." He left the others quite stunned. They have never seen Jade Claw so serious before. Not wanting to push this new behavior, the others quickly left the home. Liliac made a short turn and sighed, "And I just got here too…" She jumped out and climbed onto Pink's back.

* * *

The craggy mountain usually would be inhabitable. However this one was crawling with Mantises. Their hideout seemed to be several interlocking and conjoining tunnels. The rescue team hid behind a large pile of rocks. Silver stepped back, kneeling on the ground and feeling his way against the rocks. "What is he doing?" Liliac asked.

Silver made a few motions but turned back to the ground. "He says he is looking for something" Maya translated. The beetle grunted quite suddenly. All four of his arms were underneath what seemed to be a flat plate of rock. Jade Claw quickly walked over, placed his claws underneath, and lifted the slab off. Silver performed more hand motions. "Silver says that this is a secret entrance to the base" Maya continued. "They used it for-"

"Yeah yeah, they used it for sneaking around, can we just go already?!" Jade Claw grumbled. He jumped into the tunnel with enthusiasm. The others looked to each other. They have never seen him act like that before. The others climbed in as Silver entered last. He grabbed the slab and slid it back over. The tunnel was pitch black, but fire appeared before them. "Here…use these…" Jade Claw handed them two torches to properly illuminate the area. Once again, the team was surprised; Jade Claw was different under the situation. With the tunnel lit, the team advanced into their fort. After a few feet, the tunnel split into two others. They turned to Silver, who shamefully shrugged his shoulders. Jade Claw growled, "What do you mean you don't know?! You're the one who even dragged us here in the first place!" The Liger grabbed Silver harshly before pinning him against the wall. The beetle was utterly terrified as the sharp teeth were inches from him. It took some effort, but the others managed to separate them.

"Calm down Jade Claw!" shouted Pink, "They must have made some changes!"

Liliac grabbed her torch, "Pink, you take Maya and go down the right tunnel. I'll take Jade Claw and Silver. Silver, you lead." The group members nodded as they separated. Silver quickly rushed to the front to avoid the Liger once more. The trekked down the tunnel until yet another split off formed. Once again, the beetle was useless. Before Jade Claw could once again hurt him, Liliac stopped him. "I know you want to save Raya, but fighting against one another will not fix this." The Liger crossed his arms and grunted. She turned to the beetle, "Silver, you're going with Jade Claw down the tunnel." He shook his head but Liliac stopped him, "I know he's scary now, but he's just worried on Raya. You'll like him better when this is all over. Now, which way do you think she is?"

The beetle thought for a moment before pointing to the right tunnel. He walked in with Jade Claw following. Liliac smiled, she was starting to get the leader thing down. But she still needed to prove herself some way to YX before doing anything else. The human walked down with the torch in hand. There were strange sounds echoing through ahead of her. She moved the torch closer, but gasped and screamed in result.

* * *

Maya and Pink Spec ended up into the larger tunnels from following the path. Maya felt good to fly a bit more, but she was still concerned. The cheetah below her managed to see the nearly hidden emotion. "Maya, are you okay?"

The eagle sighed as she landed beside her. "No…not really" she spoke in a sad tone. "You are close to Liliac, right?"

Pink smiled, "Of course, we've known each other since we were little."

Maya looked at her, "Well…can you tell me why she hates eagles?" Pink's smile disappeared. "I only appeared to her today and she automatically says that her day was ruined. What did my kind ever do to her to make her hate us?!"

The cheetah was silent for a while, twiddling her tail around for a few seconds. "She…she had a father" Pink started. "He was Lin Chung, the leader of First Squad and greatest warrior of Big Green. They did training every day with each other. She loved him greatly. Then, one day, they were walking home from their recent training. That was when High Roller decided to capture the threats of his old foe. He sent your father, Eagle King, after Lin Chung." That caught Maya's attention instantly. "When he came, he did not come alone. Lin Chung forced her inside while he fought off the attacking eagles. But, while his back was turned, your father dug his talons deep into his shoulders." She grieved for a bit, "And when we tried to bust him out, he had no arms…"

Maya gasped at what she heard. Her father has not told her about that before. Now she knew why Liliac hated eagles and more importantly why the human hated her. The eagle princess needed to show her that she was her friend and not like her father. But first, she hugged Pink Spec. She seemed like she needed the comfort at the painful memory. The cheetah smiled as she wrapped her paws around her friend. But the hug was short lived as the tunnels suddenly shook. They looked around for the source, only to find the entrance they came through was shut. Then, water began to fall from the holes up top. Pink jumped out of the way and climbed to the highest rock spire in fear. "Water…I hate water!" she exclaimed.

"Are you afraid of water?" Maya spoke with a slight giggle.

The cheetah princess growled a bit, but not from anger. Maya understood that the fear seemed to be something else. The water level began to rise a bit, causing Maya to begin flying. She looked around for an exit, but most of the holes had water shooting through them. The others were beginning to seal on themselves. They both looked around for an exit, but couldn't.

* * *

Back with the last pair, Silver and Jade Claw finally made it to the actual fort. The tunnel they took lead them back to their holding cells. The Liger was rather rushed but he climbed out quickly. Silver slowly closed the way behind them. Jade Claw rushed to each cell, looking in. Most were empty, so he quickly rushed to the next one. He stopped at one, "Wait…what are you doing here?" This caught Silver's attention as he walked over. The same mantis, the mantis that drew those strange lines in the ground before, was imprisoned in the cell. Silver rused over and made a few gestures with his arms.  
The Mantis sighed in response. "I don't know…" he spoke. "I'm the Mantis Prince and yet the others want to follow him…"

"Wait, who's him?" asked Jade Claw. "Where's Raya?!"

"Jade Claw!" The Liger shot around and charged to the cell across from the Mantis's. Indeed, the Rabbit Princess was inside. With a quick grab and pull, the cell door was now off. "Jade Claw!" Raya hopped onto his chest in a hug. The liger hugged him as well, but Raya's ears twitched a bit. He turned just to see several Mantis warriors with long sharp spears. Two of them had a very weak Liliac and more had Silver locked up with the Mantis.

A slow clap sounded and echoed throughout the room. The attention was drawn onto the clapper, none other than Spotter himself. "Very good Prince of Ligers…you almost did it" he spoke. "But all of you were fools to think you could rescue her. She will remain here until I can get my revenge on that pesky rabbit Jumpy!"

"So hiring your minions is the proper way to get your revenge?" Liliac spat.

The scarred rabbit turned to face the human. He walked over and lifted her chin, "You look…familiar…" He batted her face away, "Aw forget it. It doesn't matter, you all are captured. Plus, two of your friends will no longer be with us."

"W-What have you done to them?!" the human exclaimed.

Spotter smiled as he heard fear in her voice, "Oh you mean the eagle and cheetah? Oh, let's just say they went for…a little swim…"

Liliac's eyes widened at the term. Pink hated water, she couldn't swim. And Maya, even she did not deserve to die, no matter what she felt about her. She sneered at the vile animal. Unknown to her, her hands began to spark a purple energy. She thought about how she knew she had to save Maya, for she was only trying to help. Her hands ignited, burning the two mantises holding her. The glow died before she could notice.  
"Jade Claw now!" The liger lurched back and hurled Raya through the line. With a solid kick, the cell door that held the two prisoners bent open. Silver managed to bend them more as the Mantis followed. He swatted away the guards before retrieving a staff. He handed it to Liliac, for it was hers.

"If you will allow, I shall help you in this fight" he spoke. "My name is Scylo, the Mantis Prince. I have been cast out of line by Spotter and wish to end his reign."  
The human nodded as she twirled her staff. Silver and Scylo followed suited as they charged to the army. Liliac turned, "Raya, Jade Claw, find the others! They might not have much air left!"

The two animals nodded before they ran from the fight. A bit of flames caused the army to back away. Raya twitched her ears a bit while trying to hear them. But the fight wasn't off of them. Spotter shot down from above and landed on Jade Claw. With a few quick moves, the Liger's mouth was clamped shut with metal braces, as well as his arms and legs. He tried to fight against it, but the metal was too hard. He couldn't move or breathe fire. Spotter hopped and grabbed Raya by her ears. The two rabbits gave each other looks, one of fear and the other of hostility. "You have gave me enough trouble! Heck with your father, I'll just give the finishing blow on you!" Her scream caused Spotter to laugh.

Jade Claw thrashed a bit, trying to escape his metal clamps. Spotter laughed, "That is reinforced steel my cowardly Liger. There is not a thing that could break or melt it, besides a volcano itself!" He laughed some more, but his ears detected a small creak. The arm shackles were broken, then the leg ones too. Spotter stood in disbelief as he stood. His eyes, they were not normal. They were filled with complete rage. Then, the scariest thing happened. Very slowly, the metal brace on his mouth started to melt. It oozed off of Jade Claw's mouth and splashed to the ground like a puddle. The evil rabbit froze, unable to move. Fear filled his very soul from just staring into those eyes. Slowly but strongly, the Liger Prince stomped his way over. He towered over the puny rabbit and growled.

"LET…HER…GO…" His voice was powerful and booming like thunder. Spotter let off his grasp on her ears, dropping her to the ground. Jade Claw growled even more in his face, "NOW LEAVE!"

Spotter hopped away, no longer wanting those terrifying red eyes to burn into his soul. The army slowly ceased away as their leader ran. Liliac smiled and breathed heavily in relief. Raya placed her ear on the ground and gasped, "Jade Claw here!"

With one solid punch, a hole formed in the floor. Liliac rushed over quickly. Pink Spec was near the top, she reached out for her first. Then, Maya appeared, treading water poorly. Liliac extended a hand out, the eagle extending it a bit. But then, more of the "floor" broke off, the pieces hitting the eagle and causing her to sink. Liliac gasped as she jumped in after her. Everyone was in shock, especially Pink. But she quietly walked off to take care of something.

* * *

Back at Big Green, an invisible force flew through the base. It spread through the entire thing. In his room, YX was having a coughing fit. But once this forced reached him, he instantly felt better. Brave One and Pin approached him. "Are you…okay?" asked Brave One.

YX sat up, breathing a lot better than before. He smiled as he faced in the direction they were. He could sense the rise from here. "You are getting better Liliac…" he muttered.

* * *

The two surfaced then the liger and beetle helping them both out. Maya gasped and panted as she turned to the human, "You…you saved me…"

Liliac managed to sit up, "You…you may be an eagle, but you never deserved to die for my sake. I…I needed to save you." She did not want to admit that she was beginning to like the eagle, but she had to say something. "You're… my friend…"

The eagle princess embraced her into a hug for a few seconds before instinctively backing off. The human smiled before she regained her focus. "Pink?! Where-"

"Over here!" The others turned to a tunnel that led away. "I-I g-got to cold" she mumbled, "I-I'm h-heading home. S-See you there!"

Liliac never understood her sister at times, but she respected her. "Alright, see you then." The human stood up as her attention was now on Silver and Scylo. They seemed to be good friends, and more importantly great allies to have. The gray haired human bowed to them, "Mantis Prince and Beetle Prince, please give us the honor of you becoming fully fledged members of Big Green. We will be sure to see it that you will get proper treatment and authority."

That appealed to Scylo more than it did for Silver. However the two animals bowed in respect. "We would be happy to join your cause" the mantis spoke.

**SILVER SHELL 078**

**SCYLO 066**

The new members were happy to have joined. Scylo lead the others out as they encountered no more Mantises. Behind them, a black figure stood there. Behind her seemed to be a trail of water. But the color of the liquid is pink, and some drops even now were pink. Her sad eyes stared at the group, "One day sister…I shall tell you the truth…" With that, the black figure was gone.


	28. Deep Water

Deep down in the dark waters of the Hidden Kingdom oceans, a lone submersible swam through. Inside were the three heroes assigned that mission; Misty, Red Ray, and Cyber. Cyber was currently piloting the vessel as the twins became prepared. Yaksha was holding two suits; however the girl twin looked stubborn to put it on. "There is no way I am putting that on" she spoke.

"Come on Misty" her brother spoke, "You need to put this on. You cannot survive without it." Yaksha tried to hold her down, however the girl fought back. Misty knocked the suit out of her hands, "I'll stick with the air bubble thank you."

"You do not have any other options" Cyber added. The two twins focused their attention to the robot. "Those suits allow unlimited time in the deepest regions of the crevasse. You cannot survive long with a simple air bubble."

As much as she hated it, Cyber made a valid point. She would not be able to last long. Misty swiped the suit back and stubbornly put it on. Her twin chuckled as he began to out his suit on. With help from Yaksha, Red Ray easily had the suit ready to go. However it was rather big on him. Misty finally slipped her helmet on, but it too seemed too big. "Hey what gives?" Misty spoke, "It's too big!"

"Not for long." Cyber rolled up and pressed a small button on their suits. They slowly shrunk to fit both of their wearers. The two humans looked surprised, but the mechanical hero ignored them and continued. "Each suit is equipped with a central propulsion system, allowing you to propel yourself through the water like a common aquatic creature. And each suit has an air supply that will last approximately eight hours."

As Cyber prepared some last minute devices, the two twins exited the submersible. Their suits automatically switched on their lights, illuminating a small part of the area. However they seemed to be suspended in darkness. The light faded the whole way around them. Misty could not but feel a bit scared. "It looks like…it goes on forever" she spoke with slight fear.

"Technically you are correct." The twins turned to see Cyber with a few obvious changes. His wheels were gone and in place of them he had a small turbine attached to his lower segment. His cannon arm seemed to have more attached to it and the three objects on his head seemed contracted. "No being on this planet knows how deep these areas are. My equipment is being effected by an unknown source that limits my sonar system."

A strange sound echoed through the area. The twins reacted by hugging each other. "W-What was that?"

"RECORDING" Cyber's head rotated slowly, completing a few rounds. "ANALYSIS COMPLETE: WHALE." The twins looked confused but Cyber switched modes. "The echoing sound is the usual noise that can be created by whales. However no whale ever recorded can survive at these depths."

"Then it looks like he can!" The other two members turned to see where she was pointing. The combined lights shone above them. A jagged underwater cliff edge was shown. However there was an unnatural blue shine to it. It took a bit more of their light to see what it truly was. To everyone's surprise, Sammy was trapped inside a steel cage. The three members swam up to where he was.

The robot immediately scanned his body. "SUBJECT SAMMY SHOWS NO MAJOR INJURIES, HOWEVER HIS INTERNAL STRUCTURE CANNOT SUPPORT ITSELF MUCH LONGER AT THESE DEPTHS." Cyber's head rotated around to the twins. "It is now explainable why Scale Gray and the other members have not returned. There is a change in plans. You two will search for the remaining members. I will free Sammy from his imprisonment and meet you from there. Your suits have an intercom function that will allow you to communicate."

"Intercom?" both twins questioned what that word was.

"Simply apply pressure to the right side of your helmets, and talk as normally as you would to an average person. Both me and Red Ray shall hear it."

The two twins nodded before their suits propelled them into the darkness. As the robot propelled closer to the cage, it was unknown to him that two creatures watched him. The two slowly sunk back and swam towards where the twins went. Cyber turned in response. The detection was only on the edge of his current sonar, so it could have been just something swimming through. Sammy moaned again in his animal tongue. "Do not worry Sammy" he spoke, "I will get you out of this cage." Cyber's cannon-like arm suddenly sparked a bright blue flame. He aimed it to one of the bars and immediately began to cut through it.

* * *

Misty had been in better situations. She was entirely surrounded by darkness, she could hardly see; it was her worst nightmare. Red Ray stayed close by her, knowing of her fear and wanted to keep her comfortable. It truly looked like it went on forever. The male twin pressed the right side of his helmet, "Cyber, what exactly are we supposed to be looking for?"

"You are trying to find a location that could be where the others are being held" he repeated over the intercom.

Misty slowly rose and pressed hers in, "But…if Sammy couldn't survive then why would they be down here? How can anything survive down here?"

"On record, there is but one species that can survive at these depths. They are known as-"  
The intercom was suddenly shut off. Misty gasped as her brother activated his, "Cyber…Cyber are you there?" Nothing, not even static could be heard. Misty was truly freaking out. She clung to her brother harder. "Misty" he spoke, "What do you think…"

He was cut off as something quickly grabbed him. Whatever it was, it was fast. Misty gasped as she quickly saw her brother get dragged into the darkness. The female twin slowly looked around for whatever it was. She stopped in fear as she saw something. An odd pair of red eyes revealed themselves. Then a large mouth full of pointed pure white teeth smiled. Immediately she feared the worst. "S-Stay back!" In a slight hurry, she turned her suit on and propelled herself away from it. However every time she looked back, she could see the creature getting closer and closer.

Red Ray was having as much difficulty. The male twin was fighting back a series of tentacles. It was easier to spot them since they were yellow, but the creature was still dangerous. Yaksha muttered a few things to his love. "I know, I'm wondering what "special features" this suit comes with." As is on command, small compartments opened inside his suit. Yaksha stretched her arms down and into these compartments. Her arms eventually stretched directly outside of the suit. Both of them smiled as she tangled the creature and chucked it away. Yaksha's arms "dusted" off before she slinked them back inside. He looked up at her, "You can survive in the deep?" She shrugged, gaining a laugh from her lover.

They were suddenly hit but some other force. Yaksha slinked her arms out again and tangled the creature, but they soon saw Misty. Before either one could react, they slammed into a rocky wall. They apparently hit the edge of the crevasse. The twins recovered, but sadly have the two creatures. Misty clung to her brother, "W-What do we d-do?!"

"Misty focus!" he exclaimed. "My suit was made so Yaksha could use her limbs. Your suit must have advantages too! Use your electric eyes!"

The female twin's eyes sparked instantly before she let them loose. There was another problem with her eyes. If she used them too much she would lose control over them. But if she never used them for a long time they overloaded. The electricity zapped the two creatures however it blasted just about everywhere else. A stray bolt zapped the cliffs above them, cracks forming from the impact. The cliffs suddenly burst, large rocks falling directly towards the twins. The two humans tried to avoid them, however one pierced Misty's suit. Very slowly, the pressure began to crack the suit. Misty was freaking out as well as Red Ray.

The two creatures looked to them with shock and worry. They both rushed towards them. Misty was swallowed by the black creature as her brother was grabbed by the yellow one. They darted between the falling rocks before ducking into a small crevasse. The two creatures swam deeper through the rocky hall before it opened up slightly. Several crystals were able to illuminate the area and more specifically the creatures. The black one was a shark, with red eyes and small white speckles. The yellow one was an octopus, with small membranes between his tentacles, blue rings on his tentacles, and blue eyes.  
Red Ray was calmly released by the octopus and set aside. Both he and Yaksha watched as the shark burped up his sister. At first he was about to freak out, but saw that nothing was happening. The octopus then made a bubble from his mouth and placed it over Misty's head. The human girl coughed and gagged, trying to get the water out. Red Ray rushed over and hugged her, but stopped when he saw the two creatures. "Who…who are you two?"

Misty awoke and snapped at them, "What the heck is going on?! First you attack us and now you help us! Who's side are you on?!" The shark made a sound while rotating her teeth, it sounded like a chainsaw. Misty grumbled, "We don't speak shark!"

The shark continued, but she started to cough. "UH! I wasn't talking! Do you EVER take a bath?!" She continued to cough, but not before her brother chuckled a bit. Misty pouted and crossed her arms. The black shark stopped and looked to them, "We are sorry we attacked you. But we had to make it look good."

"Look…good?" asked Red Ray. He and his sister were completely confused.

"Oh, right, you don't know who we are. I am Lamia, the Shark Princess. My friend here is Cornelius the Octopus Prince." The octopus waved one of his tentacles at the mention of his name. "You see, our fathers along with the other Ocean Kings are all together to form one massive army. However, me and Cornelius, we do not want that. Honestly I prefer to work together and help any species. In fact they captured a few prisoners, but one got away."

"That's who we're looking for" Red Ray spoke. "Our friends disappeared days ago, and we were sent to find them."

"Uh, sorry to interrupt…" The attention was drawn back to the female human. "Uh, how exactly am I STILL ALIVE?!"

"Yeah" Red Ray added in, "We're miles below the surface, if anything Misty should be dead. I mean I am glad that she's alive and…more importantly, how are you two still alive?"

"More…importantly…?" Misty grumbled.

"See where we are at?" The twins looked at the underwater cave-like structure. "These caves keep the pressure at hold, making these places just like the ocean above" the shark continued. "We just stayed here long enough so our bodies could prepare."

The male twin stuck his hand over the earpiece, "Hey Cyber, are you getting all of this?"

"Affirmative" he spoke over. "The rock's composition makes it a suitable component for depressurization. I have a fix on your location and have freed Sammy. I am on my way."

An eerie light passed through the tunnel. Lamia and Cornelius looked scared and instantly grabbed the twins. They swam into some indents enough to hide them. The light passed through again, but it was brighter this time. Misty's eyes sparked before she turned, "Get ready to fry!" She blasted her electricity, but she was blasted instead with a powerful beam. Her brother took action as Yaksha's arms stretched out towards the creature. She encased it easily and brought it closer.

"Hey! What's the big idea?!" All of them looked down the tunnel as a new creature swam through. It was a Stingray, a sand colored one with a five square decal on his underbelly. His stinger seemed to be shaped oddly with two wires, one red and one blue, connected to it. The two animals calmed down as they approached. "Oh, it's you Checkers" Lamia spoke, "Where's Alaula?"

"Why don't you ask him?" The others looked at Red Ray, who still was confused. However when the creature in Yaksha's arms moved, he realized what they were talking about. He chuckled nervously before letting it go. Alaula was a Lantern Fish. She had multiple shades of brown, and her light only had one spike. Misty laughed as she saw her swimming around. "What's so funny?"

"She's so small!" the female exclaims.

The small fish looked down in sadness. The others either looked at Misty in anger or on Alaula in concern. Red Ray calmed himself before he decided to talk. "Now Lamia, you said that they captured some prisoners. Do you think you can show us where they are?"  
Before they continued, they heard something swimming outside the crevasse. Since it was dark, they had no idea what it was. Both Alaula and Misty backed away in fear. A red light appeared as a high whirl got louder. Cornelius charged into the darkness to entangle the thing. However he came flying back and hit Lamia. "WARNING! WARNING! THREAT DETECTED!" Cyber came flying in, his claw extended. Red Ray and a few others dodged before his claw came down on Cornelius. "ACTIVATING EXTERMINATION PROGRAM." Before the robot could do so, the Prince waved his tentacle before a putrid black ink sprayed everywhere. Cyber diminished this inky fog with his cannon arm, however the octopus was nowhere to be seen. The robot's head rotated around, alarms blaring at the sight of them all. However his scanners saw the twins, to which he calmed down. They explained the situation to him carefully, along with a few extras.

They explained how each member of the Marine Army, as what they were going to be called, was paired with one another in a certain room. This is where Cyber went in. He explained as closely as he could, that they needed to plant a Amnesia Gas Bomb in each room. This would make the animals forget the plans, and hopefully make them think that joining would be a terrible idea. Sadly, there were four paths to take; which meant they would have to split up. Red Ray swam ahead, "Okay everyone, this is what we're going to do. Checkers, you and me will handle the Crab and Octopus Army. Lamia, you and Cornelius will handle the Oyster-Rahmas and the Lantern Fish. Cyber, you're going to have to handle the Sharks and Stingrays."

"Wait…w-what about me?" asked Misty. Alaula's light flickered in response as well. She did not want to be left out either.

"You and Alaula will go done that path" her brother gestured to a dark tunnel. "That's where you'll find our friends. Free them and get back to the ship as fast as you can." Both the fish and human looked down that corridor with great fear. The others already took down their designated paths while the two were cowering in fear.

"You know, m-maybe we should change the te…eams…?" Misty turned, seeing that she was all alone. Well, she was alone with that fish. Acting brave in front of the new "friend," she swam ahead. Truly the human was scared out of her mind, but she did not want to look like a wimp. "Are you coming?!" she spoke gruffly. Alaula looked at her in surprise, swishing her tail quickly to catch up to her. The small lure on her head was dimly lit, slightly alternating brightness as if to signify a heartbeat. Misty scoffs at her, "Oh what are you, afraid of the dark?" To her surprise, the Lantern Fish nodded her head as her lure flashed a bit.

This surprised Misty more than others would think. She did not know much of the animal kingdom, however she knew that the Lantern Fish lived down here and had those lures for a reason. The corridor was quiet for a while, the fish swam sadly. The human did not exactly want to do this, but then again she was alone. "Hey f…uh, it's Alaula, right?" That got the animal's attention. "Listen, you…you shouldn't be ashamed to have a fear. I…I'm afraid too." Alaula swam a bit closer as her lure flickered. "Well, yeah, I am afraid. You see, when I was little, my powers once went out of control. It caused severe pain in my eyes, so much pain. When it stopped, I saw nothing but darkness. I was like that for days until I was finally able to see again. I…I am afraid of darkness. I was afraid outside, looking everywhere but seeing nothing at once. I just want to be able to see my brother, my friends, my…p-parents…"

A few loose tears fell. Alaula managed to smile with that mouth of hers. The light from her lure suddenly intensified. The new light cast around them and touched the walls of the corridor. Misty looked to the fish with a smile.

The corridor soon ended, revealing a extremely large room. Several light crystals lined the walls; however they were so far apart that they only illuminated the walls. Alaula was able to focus her light to the floor. There, they spotted something metallic. As they swam closer, the object appeared to be a cage; two cages in fact. And what surprised the human the most was who was inside. Scale Gray was inside one of them, his clothes torn and raggedy but with a bubble over his head for air. Cancer was inside the other, her claws locked up with metal cuffs. Misty swam over, "Scale Gray!"

The human male slowly sat up and looked out the cage, "M-Misty…?" Her eyes sparked as she busted off the lock of the cage. Alaula began to work on Cancer's. The girl helped the boy up. He struggled, "W-What are you doing here?"

"Rescuing you…" she spoke with a smile. Cancer was freed from her shackles and clicked her claws in happiness. Two other streams of light cast down onto the members. Cyber and Red Ray led the group down to them. Scale Gray noticed the sea animals and smiled, "So glad…you guys finally…helped out…"

Suddenly a bolt of lightning struck the ground beside them. The shocked members cast their lights up and grimaced at what they saw. Each Ocean King was there; Crab King, Octopus King, Lantern Fish King, Oyster-Rahma King, Stingray King, and Shark King were all there. They all had the unmistakable expression of anger and disappointment. Lantern Fish King's lure glowed brightly, Alaula's reacting with it. Her lure was slowly glowing dim. She flickered what light she could towards her father, but he only sneered and made it go down faster. "I don't believe this!" Stingray King spoke, "All of our children, they're working with humans!"

"We must capture them as well!" Crab King spoke out. They all quickly made their way towards them. The members backed into the wall, including Cyber. Not even in his programming was this situation possible.

Scale Gray, although weak from exhaustion and hunger, knew this area from constantly observing it. He glanced up at a small indent actually big enough for them all. He slowly whispered it to Red Ray before playing along. The male twin looked to his sister in sadness. However she nodded, agreeing with whatever he wanted to do despite not knowing what it was. She grasped Alaula because of that. "Cyber, lights off!"

The suit and the robot's lights went out. The Kings stopped their attack before looking around. The glow from the lure on Lantern Fish King managed to illuminate the area, however they were gone. The kings spread out to search for them. In the indent, the others waited. Cyber was getting to work, "Preparing Amnesia Bomb to infect entire room. ESTIMATED TIME OF COMPLETION: 2 minutes."

The Lantern King's light finally hit that spot. Red Ray looked to the others, "We need to give him time!" Misty bolted out, sparking her eyes and firing her electricity. It managed to hit Lantern Fish King, only it knocked him back. The others soon swam out, helping as much as they could. Really each animal ended up one on one with each other.  
Crab King had Cancer pinned down. The little crab tried her best to get free but could not. "You are weak and pathetic!" her father spoke. "What can humans do for you?!"

As if right on cue, Scale Gray kicked his claw off, allowing Cancer to burrow herself into the rocky bottom. "Don't mess with my friend!" he shouted. Just before the King could smack him, he collapsed into a hole. Cancer resurfaced herself, giving a fist bump to her human friend.

Alaula backed away from her father, whose red lure glowed an even darker red than usual. The little Lantern Fish was as scared as could be, her little lure barely lit. He growled at her as she rested against the wall. Misty suddenly appeared in his light, "You know, you should really consider taking parenting advice." With a powerful blast from her eyes, the Lantern Fish King was knocked back. The human smiled but was pushed out of the way by her friend. Unlike them, the remaining three animals did not have help. They were easily knocked back with the others. The Ocean Kings soon encircled they members.

"FINISHED!" Cyber revealed the bomb in his claw.

"Throw it now!" Scale Gray shouted. Cyber moved it back, not willing to comply. "Cyber just do it!" The robot sadly complied with his teammate and threw it out. No one could react as it activated instantly; purple mist flying out in all directions. No one could see anything but purple. As the smog cleared, the Ocean Kings soon looked stunned. They were utterly confused on where they were at. However they did not stand to stay. Each one swam out with their armies following. Cyber appeared once it was clear, however there was strangely no sign of his friends.

Then, as if on cue, he saw a light flash. The robot turned his head to see that his teammates were on the rocky floor, slightly covered in black substance that he identified as ink. He swam down, "EXPLAIN PROTECTION PROCEDURE."

Cornelius blew a bubble bit this one was black. "Cornelius combined his ink with his bubble to make a barrier to protect us from the gas" Lamia explained. "You're lucky we were here." The octopus looked as smug as the shark. And with that, both Cancer and Scale Gray passed out. The others were concerned quickly as Cyber scanned them.

"EXHAUSTION EMMINANT" he spoke. "MEDICAL ASSISTANCE NEEDED IMMEDIATELY. CALLING RIDE." He gently grabbed the human as he swam back to the entrance. The others followed with Misty grabbing Cancer.

* * *

Back at the underwater docking station, Sammy arrived with his mouth opened. The members made their way out with their friends intact. Kawkee and Cyber rolled off to aid the two friends and placed them beside Obsidian. The three shared a small happy reunion. On the docks, the new sea creatures were with the old commander. "It gives my heart such joy to have so many new animals willing to help out with this rescue party."

Alaula's light flickered in the large glass bowl of water she was in. "Alaula is right, they helped us, but we helped them" Misty spoke. The others stared at her in surprise. The girl twin shrugged, "I…picked up her language fast."

The commander cleared his throat, "Now comes the moment of truth, would you be willing to join our noble cause?"

Cornelius seemed to clap with his tentacles. "Well, Cornelius sure is excited" Lamia spoke. "And if he's in, I'm in. I can't leave him alone."

Alaula's lantern flickered a few times, which to Misty's deciphering translated to yes. Checkers bowed, "It would be a great honor to be a member."

Ape Truly smiled with warmth, "Then I welcome you all to Big Green!"

**CORNELIUS 055**

**LAMIA 018**

**ALAULA 073**

**CHECKERS 031**


	29. Arctic Rescue

The arctic north of Hidden Kingdom is a vast land of white snow as far as one could see. Some days may be harsh, but the arctic tundra shares its moments of beauty. The small boat finally reached its destination, the protective covering folded off. The two occupants stepped out. Once they were on land, the covering folded back up and sunk under the water. Lovely checked the signal device Kawkee gave them for the boat, but Chlora walked forward. She let a few snowflakes fall onto her open palm, letting them melt in her hand. With a slow breath, a small puff of steam came out from her mouth. "So…this is cold" she spoke. "I always wondered how this would feel."

"Well, let us be thankful that the weather is currently calm" Lovely commented as she walked back. "The last thing we want to do is to get caught in a snowstorm." She shivered slightly, "And humans can hardly survive those. I would hate to see you get in one."

They walked ahead slowly but steadily. A few minutes passed and the sky started to turn white. The wind picked up, the snowfall increased. Lovely covered herself as much as she could to try and pick up body heat. Chlora was doing the same, her petals covering her entire body. However the color from them seemed to fade. "W-Where are w-we?"

The human looked up, soon seeing a large mountain. "I think we may be near the mountains. Obviously we walked farther than we thought. We should pro-" Suddenly Lovely started to giggle, but then started to laugh. "S-Stop tickling me Chlora!"

"That's not me" she spoke, "I-I can b-barely move a v-vine."

With a last swing, something came out of Lovely's dress. At first it was covered in snow, but with a few shakes it was Chusi. She started to shiver immediately. "CHUSI?!" Lovely gasped loudly.

Sadly that shouted echoed through the mountains. The snow at the top began to fall down the base. An avalanche was occurring. Everyone saw it, however Chusi and Lovely seemed frozen in fear. Chlora pushed them out of the way before some snow fell onto her. The force of action caused the human to start running with the snake in hand. Surprisingly she was faster than the disaster, but she couldn't for long. On one side of the mountain was a cave, their only means of protection. With a last jump, the two made it to the cave. Unfortunately the snow covered the entrance up.

As both were relieved with the escape, Lovely's hair started to grow and twitch. She turned her angry gaze to Chusi, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?! I TOLD YOU TO STAY PUT!"

The gaze and actions were indeed scary, Chusi did indeed experience fear. However she knew that Lovely was truly her friend and only cared for her safety. "I-I couldn't l-let you g-go alone" she spoke. "I-I just w-wanted to know you w-were safe."

Lovely, although furious, still understood. Chusi was saved by her, so she probably felt the need to do some form of recovery to show her how she feels. Her hair sunk back into its regular length and position. The human gently grabbed the snake and hugged her close. They both looked to the snow blocked entrance, "We can only hope that Chlora made it and will find us." She sat on the ground, keeping Chusi close to her body. Chusi did the same, only Lovely was only trying to protect her. She wished she could help her out more somehow.

A few hours passed, the cave's temperature dropped fast. Both Chusi and Lovely were experiencing it. They were so cold that they could not stay awake. Things seemed pretty dim. Then, a peak of light shown in. The wall of snow broke down and soon entered a being. It was a human dressed like a dog. Pulled behind him was a large sled. He ran to them and sniffed, "Freezing…bad…" He gently set both of them into the sled, covered them with a blanket, and then went back to his harness. However his ears twitched and turned to the ceiling. His eyes glimmered at what he saw, a large icicle. With a quick series of jumps, he made his way up and snatched the icicle right off. Wagging his tail and after licking his newly found treat a few licks, he reattached his harness and ran off. Lovely's vision was blurred at that, all she saw was snow. It wasn't until she saw blobs of color when her eyes finally failed her.

* * *

Lovely's eyes opened after a few muffled mumbles. It took a bit of time to focus, but her vision soon cleared up. She was inside a home, more importantly warm. She was wrapped in several blankets. As she got up, a familiar face stepped in. It was Chlora, but her body went through some changes. Her arms, main stem, and body were covered with small, seemingly invisible hair-like strands, her hands blossomed some purple flower petals with some stimuli. Her normally red flower petals on her waist were now purple. Her skin color seemed to lighten as well. The human looked surprised, "Chlora…?" She simply smiled and nodded. As she approached Lovely stood up more. "How…what happened to you?"

"I am one with Mother Nature and all of her floral children" she spoke. "It seems that I have relatives in the Arctic that I have now awakened. I am no longer bothered by the cold, I am now sturdier."

Lovely laughed at how mystical she sounded. However her expression changed, "Chusi…where is she?"

A small hiss sounded inside her blankets. As the human looked down, she was tickled in the face by a tongue. Chusi slithered out and poked her head out. She looked rather sad though, "Lovely…I'm sorry about what I did."

Lovely stroked the back of her neck and hood gently, trying not to agitate her bruises. "Chusi, I am glad to have a friend like you." The snake princess smiled as she was stroked. A few humans entered in warm clothing, one woman and one man. The woman handed Lovely a fuzzy jacket and a fur satchel. As she put the coat on Chusi slithered into the bag. She poked her head out a tiny bit and smiled. The rest of them could not help but to smile.

"Thank goodness you two are alright" said the woman. "You were lucky that he found you whenever you did."

"Well we thank you for rescuing us." Lovely and Chusi bowed to them.

Chlora giggled, "They were not the ones who found and saved you."

"Then…who did?" asked the snake.

"Come outside, I can guarantee that he'll like you." The plant girl made her way out along with the two humans. Lovely slung the bag over her shoulder as she walked out. The village she was in seemed to have a lake. Several small igloos decorated the landscape near it. A bit of laughter caught their attention. A couple of human children, dressed in warm clothing, ran around laughing and screaming in glee. A larger creature chased them, what looked like to be a dog. Lovely saw the human in him, and how he acted like a dog. The human children were tossing around what looked like a piece of ice.

"Who…is that?" asked Chusi as she peered from her bag.

"That's Howahkan, the Dog Prince" replied the human man. "He's been helping some of the villages out at times, bless the kid's heart."

"But…he's a human" Lovely spoke.

The two other humans nodded. "We know, but we cannot say anything" the woman responded. "You see, Dog King was human as well. However he was lost from his true kind and raised by dogs. He was reunited with his brother in times of old. The original Dog King died from High Roller's forces. His brother took on the responsibility and became the new Dog King. He, however, is still saddened by his loss. Howahkan is his son, but the king does not know of his comings and goings."

"So he would never know if he's missing or not." Lovely looked out at the Dog Prince. He looked happy despite what is life is like. Speaking of the prince, Lovely was too deep in thought to see that he was running to her. A quick pounce broke her free of her thoughts, and the licks in her face woke her up even more. "Good! Good!" he grabbed the icicle he had and ran back.

The human woman helped her up with a smile, "He says that he's happy to see you. He doesn't know human very well either."

"I bet he and Sea Salt would be good friends" Chusi spoke.

The kids and Howahkan continued to play. It brought a smile to return to her face. She wished she could join them in their play. Soon a human tagged the Dog Prince; the group immediately ran from them. He wagged his tail and chased after them. They ran along the shore of the lake. A Howahkan heard a few cracks, his ears twitching in response. However, he was too late to react. The ice around him broke off from shore. The Dog Prince ran to the edge of the piece but soon saw it was too far for the jump. The children backed away, afraid of them getting the same fate. The human adults stepped closer, being more aware of the danger.

Chlora's vines extended and reached out. A small dip in the water caused them to turn dark. She retracted them, "I-I cannot r-reach him" she spoke in a cold manner. "The w-water is t-too cold!"

"He's getting too far out…" the woman spoke in sadness. "There's nothing we can do."

Lovely looked out to him. Howahkan looked very distressed; she could have sworn she saw tears. He mouthed the word "Help" despite the icicle in it. Very slowly, she took the bag off. She handed it to the woman, "Here."

The woman looked up at her in confusion. Chusi poked her head out. "Lovely?" she asked with confusion. "What are you doing?"

"Saving a life" she continued to speak.

"He's in the middle of the lake" the woman spoke, "And he's keep fl-"

"I don't care" she interrupted as she continued to strip into her normal clothing. "I may not know much about his dad. But I do know this… Knowing that you can't do anything to save your child is the most horrible feeling."

"But you will die if you go after him!" the woman spoke. "You must be crazy to go into the icy water!"

"I am…And I'll risk my life to save him." Lovely ran and dove into the water. She popped up on the surface, stroking her arms to swim closer to the Dog Prince. No matter how cold she felt, the urge made her continue on. Howahkan's eyes were filled with fear as tears streamed down her face, but he looked at Lovely with complete confusion and shock. The woman slowly dragged herself onto the ice flow, grabbed the Dog Prince, and started to swim back. The cold water was having a great effect on her body, her motions were slowing down. The distance between the ice flow and the mainland seemed to be longer with each passing stroke. But Lovely eventually made it, and grabbed hold of the icy shore. The humans helped Howahkan onto shore. However before they could help her, Lovely's hand slipped off. Chusi poked her body out and looked in shock. The woman frowns at the two royal animals, "I'm sorry…"

"NO LOVELY!" Chusi cried. Suddenly a gray blur darted between the two animals. The Snake Princess looked up in confusion, "Venom?"

The python in question was indeed swimming through the icy water. He was born and raised in the swamps; he knew how to swim fast. With one last dive, Lovely was soon in his coils. He swam back and literally jumped back onto shore. He passed out, but not before looking at the human first. She smiled, "Thank…you…" The two passed out, humans gathering around them.

* * *

Lovely's eyes opened hazily again. Her face was barraged by a series of licks before she could actually focus. "Good! Good!" The woman was greeted by the smiling face of the Dog Prince. Howahkan licked her a few times before hopping down. The hybrid found herself underneath lots of blankets, like before. A turn of her head caused her to giggle.

Venom was covered in blankets with a thermometer in his mouth and a ice bag on his head. He sneezed before shivering again. Chusi was next to him, wrapped slightly. "Venom, what you did was very brave" she spoke. "No one of the reptile kind would have done what you did."

He smiled even in his shivering state. "W-Well…s-she's important t-to you. I-I saw y-you go with h-her…and I-I wanted to m-make sure y-you were safe…" He was gently kissed on the cheek, Venom's skin turned red. The thermometer suddenly burst.

Chlora entered the room, "I have the boat set up. We can return home."

Howahkan stood up to Lovely's bed, "Good?"

She assumed he was asking about leaving. "I'm sorry little guy. But we're part of a big team" she spoke. "We help everyone that needs help. And I do not think we can stay longer."

The Dog Prince's tail wagged, much to Lovely's surprise and confusion. He barked in happiness and panted with his tongue out. Chusi smiled, "He said he wants to come."  
The hybrid looked at the young human, but he simply put the icicle back in his mouth and began to chew it. Lovely smiled at the cute gesture. She petted his head, causing him to look up and focus. "You want to come along?" Howahkan pounced on her with a barrage of licks. Lovely laughed as she fought back, "Okay, okay! You're in!"

**HOWAHKAN 059**

Chlora grabbed the little prince, "Okay little guy, let's go." Howahkan only barked before grabbing his icicle. She walked to Lovely, "What's wrong?"

"I would hate for him to realize what he really is…" she spoke. "But thankfully that will not happen for a long time."


	30. Snake Meets Spider

While the fighters were away, the peace keepers were left in Big Green. Shari was new, so she wandered the halls. She already bumped into several members, each one having a rather…interesting effect. She saw Bloodstone, but the stare he gave her ran her blood cold. Kawkee was scary at first, but Shari managed to greet him. However the moment was short lived when Kawkee mixed two wrong chemicals. Maiden never left her room, but she sounded sweet. Though Shari wasn't convinced, "Thith is hopeleth…" She slowly sulked down a hallway, her arms drooped to the sides and her motions slow. "I never thould have joined. I only cauthe fear…" She remembered how the younger members took to her. They only clung close to Lovely. "Maybe it would be better if I le-"

"You!" Shari suddenly felt her hand to be grabbed. "You know healing potions!"

"I…who?" The one grabbing her was too quick for her to look right away. Shari felt herself being dragged off by the one who talked and grabbed her. The naga managed to look down to see pink. It was Brave One, and she looked like she was in a hurry.

YX, in terms of status, was doing better. He was no longer in pieces, and the scars disappeared almost instantly. But his body was still feeling the odd effects of disharmony. It also appeared that his mouth had disappeared, or at least no longer showed itself. He laid in his bed, the blankets covering his spider lower half and part of his mid section. Suddenly his room door burst open, causing the demon's head to turn. _Brave One…?_ His eyes went wide as he saw their visitor. _Who…?_ He then saw Shari's lower half. _A naga?_

"YX?" she spoke. Her tiny furry fingers grasped his right hand. She smiled warmly, "You're going to be okay now."

The naga gently grasped the spider demon's hand as well. She sniffed, "Hith heat thignature ith thrange…unuthually cold."

The pink monkey turned to her, "You can help him? Can't you?"

Shari was literally dragged into this. She did know proper potions, but why the sudden rush? Plus why was she talking to her? The naga was told that all Brave One could do is hiss. But, this was also an opportunity. She needed to make some friends, and what way to start that to help? She nodded, "I can, I juth need my thingth."

About an hour passed until the naga and monkey could get everything inside his room. Soon there was no one in the room except for Shari and YX. The snake girl was already at work, looking at each of her supplies through her covered eyes. She made a nervous smile and turned towards him, "Um…nithe to meet you?" His eyes saw her, but they quickly went back to staring at the ceiling. She frowned before turning away. Even though her eyes were covered, there was an obvious state of sadness. _Oh no…_ she thought, _He'th going to hate me. It'th goning to be the thame thing ath before. I'm tho terrible with people. I juth want to thlither down a hole right now…_

An hour has passed, and Shari was getting the final touches. She of course had to see his symptoms first. She knew about healing potions, but his condition was unusual. He seemed to have bits and pieces of different simple diseases, making it complicated to figure out an exact cure. She sniffed the vial, "It thill doeth not thmell right…" With a small hack, she spat a lob of her own venom into it. She swished it around until the color and odor changed. She smiled at her work, "Ah! Now it thmellth right!"

Putting the medicine in a spoon, she made her way over to him. She reached the spoon out but stopped, seeing as he seemed to have no mouth. YX, however, had a nose. He hissed loudly at her, causing her to flinch back in fear. She was afraid of his hissing, and the newfound mouth that she saw. His own skin was ripping like it was never meant to open. _That smell…it is HORRID!_

Shari whimpered slightly as he continued to glare at her like she was an enemy. "You…Y-You need it to get better…" The hissing and the glare did not stop for a while. But, YX eventually calmed down. Shari, however, was still nervous. The steady hand she used to have was now quivering, making the liquid splash out of the spoon. The glare finally settled, YX now regretting even wanting her in. The naga eventually got the idea and moved the spoon closer. The smell was horrid, but the spider demon drank it down anyway. He coughed and hissed in anger after he drank it. Shari backed away the moment he finished the last drop. He shrieked horribly after he swallowed it. He glared at Shari, and she could feel the stare go down into her soul. The naga gulped, "Y-You needed it. And I can't give you anything elthe until morning." She felt the glare increase. However YX turned and stared up at the ceiling. She gulped, "And…I need to thay with you too becauthe you need to take thomething elthe before you thleep."

_It had better taste better than that last spoonful._ Much to his disappointment the next medicine was even worse. Shari almost had to hold YX down to give it to him. The face that he gave her scared the naga more than anything had ever before. Shari wanted to leave, but she couldn't. In case YX was one of those kinds of patients, he would have needed another spoonful. Currently she was out of the room because she had to get more ingredients. This gave him the chance to fall asleep. He was tired and a bit exhausted, but mostly he hoped that Shari would leave him alone. Within the first couple of minutes the medicine kicked in, making him pass out.

Shari reentered the room, holding a few vials of different stuff. She took one look at her patient and sighed, placing the vials aside. "Tho much for making a friend…" The naga was about to remove her blindfold, seeing as it was no longer needed, that was until she heard some grunts. The startled girl turned to see her patient, gently tossing and turning in his sleep. "Oh dear" she spoke, "He mutht be having night terrorth…" The girl was even more startled as the tossing became thrashing. The grunts became silent screams, each coming out of that horrid ripped mouth of his. Shari, despite her rising fear, slithered to his side. She grabbed a chair with her tail and placed it directly beside the bed. The naga sat down and grasped his hand, "Calm down YX, it'th only a nightmare!" Her response, however, was claws digging into her hand. She yelped but contained it, not wanting to wake him. It was horrible to wake someone from a night terror. The claws dug deeper into the wounds of her hand, but she stayed. Fresh tears flowed down her face, but she kept a small smile. "It'th okay…I'm here. It'th okay…"

* * *

The next morning came and YX was the first to awake. He groaned, awaiting the headache to come, but to his surprise it did not. He no longer felt any of his symptoms. He had no fever, no headache, no anything. For the first time in a while, YX felt like his old self again. He was such in a good mood that he rushed to remove the covers but found his hand attached. He looked to the source and gasped greatly, his hand was stuck inside someone else's hand. The hand belonged to Shari. _She stayed with me…all night?_ He was confused to why someone would do this even with his night terrors he experienced. The demon removed his claws and looked at the wounds. _I did those…even in my sleep. She stayed with me all night…_ Her snoring showed that she eventually did fall asleep. However he saw her tear-stained face and mouth stuck with a pain-filled smile. He sighed before spotting her supplies. Using her med kit, he wrapped bandages around her hand, closing the wounds. _Perhaps I was too rough on her…_

After he wrapped her hand, he placed a crumpled up note in the bandaged hand. He patted her head as he left. Shair stumbled awake, "Oh! YX?!" She watched as the rest of his spider legs left his room. Her eyes looked to her hand, as she felt something inside. She removed the blindfold and looked at her hand. She knew he caused damage to her hand, but YX must have helped bind it. Then she noticed the paper. She unfolded it and gasped in the process. The writing was horrible and scrawled on the paper, but she could read it. "Thank you" was written poorly on the paper. Tears came to her eyes as she smiled.

"SHARI!" Suddenly the naga turned to see Brave One. However the monkey fell over with gray fur. At first she was confused by the sudden change in color, but then realized that her eyes were revealed. She sighed before slithering towards her, vial of her antidote in hand and blindfold reapplied.


	31. The Village Freak

The human settlements of Hidden Kingdom were as spread out as the animal castles. Of course, where one castle was not, a human village was. The forest area they were in was known for its natural clearings, making this village spread over a wide area all over the forest. Currently, two heroes were directly before the first clearing's entrance.

"Come on Niobe…you can do this…" Lovely was standing beside her Changeling friend, encouraging her to go on. Niobe's wings fluttered as her tiny horn sparked with magic. Her eyes were shut as she focused. Lovely rolled her eyes gently, "You could turn into Sea Salt and half of the other animal members, but you cannot make yourself into a human?"  
Niobe exhaled and panted, tired from her attempt. "I only…copied those…forms…" she spoke between breaths. "Making a new one…on my own…is hard…"

_Then perhaps she should ask that Maiden girl how to do it properly._ Lovely rolled her eyes once more before looking up, "Hush now…" The woman noticed how her friend was looking at her. She cleared her throat, "Perhaps, you should try and imagine yourself as a human."

"I don't think I have that good of an imagination…"

Niobe felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at her friend, but stayed over because of the height. "You can do this Niobe."

With newfound confidence, the Changeling nodded as her friend stood back. She took in a deep breath, and concentrated. Unlike the last couple of attempts, her magic ignited and swirled around her. Lovely watched in amazement as the process unfolded. Slowly her black skin turned brighter, eventually becoming pale. Her height slowly shrunk as her holes formed over. Her wings sunk into her back, with a few snaps audible. A bright green flash of light ignited, blinding Lovely for a few seconds. When she recovered, she was mighty impressed with what happened. Niobe turned into a teenage human girl, around Misty's height and age, with pale skin, green eyes, and short red hair. However, some of her features remained. She wore a torn up dress, showing some of her body and on her chest was a heart shaped scar. She looked at herself, "I did it!"

Her friend smiled, "Very good job Niobe. Now we can enter the village."

"WHAT?!" Her startled voice and sudden shock forced her back into her normal Changeling self. "Y-You never told me that! L-Last time I-I entered a town…my…m-my…" Her wings quivered as her claw gently reached up to her chest; directly over her heart-shaped hole.

Lovely gently placed a hand on her shoulder and another to tilt her head to meet her eyes. "Niobe, please listen to me" she spoke, "I would not put you into harm's way even if I did not know it was going to happen. As long as you stay calm and stay as a human you will be fine. I promise you that I will protect you no matter what happens."

Niobe felt a spark between Lovely's hand and her body. She instantly felt better. She nodded, and with a little less effort this time, she changed into her human form. As for added comfort, she held Lovely's arm. The two entered the forest to arrive at the village.  
Everything seemed like an average human village. But Lovely could already tell what was really going on. The humans there stopped what they were doing and looked to the two. Niobe clung closer as they walked through. A couple of humans approached, "May we help you?"

Lovely shook, "No, we are fine. Just passing through."

Niobe shook more as they were focusing on her. A fang appeared from her mouth, but it went unnoticed as she tucked it back in. They looked back to the woman, hoping nothing would cause from it. "Well, you two do seem average enough. Though, you're little friend is…"

"She has been through too much." Lovely pulled her closer. "She has already been abused and tortured by evil humans, and she needs to see that there are others that will love her just the same."

The man smiled, "Well, she is welcome here."

Niobe let out a small gasp as she pointed to a house. At first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. However, the house's walls were spattered with blood. Before the villagers could stop them, they approached the bloody spot. There was a human corpse just outside of the building. The body was too mangled to depict anything specific, but the human was female. Lovely turned, "What happened to her?!"

The man shrugged, "Eh, nothing."

Niobe shivered, "Y-You call that n-nothing?!"

"Look, she was a freak, she wasn't human. She needed to be killed. Her old husband was welcome to join her, but he fled the village before we could give him the same treatment."

Both Niobe's and Lovely's expressions read the same; horror. More humans surrounded them. Lovely decided to swallow whatever fear and surprise she had to hide her true self. "You call that nothing?" she spoke with more pride. "The team I am a part of deals with beasts much better, and faster too."

Niobe was shocked to hear that come from her close friend. But then she realized what she was doing. The humans all smiled, some surprised, "You mean…you're team kills those freaks?"

Lovely nodded with a smile, "We have defeated and killed many before."

"Do you think she can kill him?" Lovely overheard this, as well as the other humans. They chatted amongst themselves as the top unfolded. Lovely approached the two that spoke, "Who is 'him'?"

The couple looked worried, "There is this human we call "The Savage." He's a ruthless horrid human that acts like a pure demon. He is nothing like us, and we've been trying to get rid of him for years."

The two looked at each other, each thinking the same thing. Niobe was afraid that this was true, and begged to the almighty that it wasn't. Lovely accepted the challenge, the humans all grateful. They informed the two that "The Savage" lived deep in the far woods. To which is where they headed. Niobe quivered, "L-Lovely…w-what have we gotten into…?"

However her friend did not respond. Her mind was already too deep in thought. The village she just passed obviously suffered the worst of High Roller's wrath. They see someone that is not "human" and immediately kill, or at least threaten. And whoever is "normal" that has relations with those freaks are also shown to the same fate. She gulped, hoping that these lies of "The Savage" were lies indeed. Because if she couldn't keep her word, then that would mean a rough time for her and Niobe. She felt a quivering in her hand, looking down at the quivering Niobe. "L-Lovely?! P-Please! W-Will we b-be okay?!" Her human form was no longer very human. She was so scared that her form changed. Her horn, third eye, and some of the black chitin were on her face. Lovely stopped walking, and kneeled down to her.

"Niobe, I will be honest with you" she spoke in a calm voice. "I am not sure what is ahead. I am not sure if we will be safe." The little girl quivered more, her wings sprouted out. "But" she told her, "I will make sure that you are completely safe, and nothing will happen to you ever again." The changeling in disguise nodded, her features returning as she embraced her friend. They set back onto the path to see this savage.

The clearing came up over twenty minutes down the path. Lovely stood in front, in case there was the chance of an ambush. The first thing she saw were several straw dummies set up around the clearing. Most of them had spears jutting through their heads of their chests. Niobe covered her eyes, quivering behind her friend. Lovely saw the same thing, but she knew better than to take things at first glance. Then, she spotted a small makeshift hut, possibly built a few years ago. She looked around the area for any other clue to whom or what lived here. "Niobe, I'm going to look around some more" she spoke. "Make sure you stay close to me. I don't want you t-" She looked behind her, seeing that she was now gone. Lovely began to panic, but she sensed someone.

"Stop. Turn around slowly, or the girl gets it." Lovely scowled, but she turned to face the enemy. The one who spoke was only a young boy. He had shaggy black hair they fell to his shoulders. He wore a open black robe with blue trimmings, as well as a pair of black pants and sandals. He had a spear blade directly across from Niobe's neck. She looked absolutely terrified. "Leave now, and I will let her go."

_Now quaint…he believes he can properly kill her with a spear blade in that manner._Lovely smirks, "He obviously does not mean any harm."

"Silence!" he yelled. "Leave and I'll let her go!" Niobe looked to her in longing. Her eyes pleaded for her to save her. Lovely knew much more than what this boy has been getting at. She gently walked towards him. He grunted and backed up, "D-Did you hear me?! I-I s-said leave!"

"I know you don't want to do this." Lovely spoke calmly. The boy was only shocked; too shocked that he even dropped his weapon. Niobe shook her head for her to stop, but Lovely still approached. "You're scared of us, we know. But please, do not bring harm to us. We know you don't want to hurt us…"

The boy let Niobe go, which she went straight to Lovely. The boy looked shocked, "H-How do you know that? W-Why are you treating me like this?"

"Because, I am like you; I am often treated as a freak for being extraordinary."

He backed away with a grunt, "I-I am not extraordinary! I'm a freak! All my life my looks have caused me harm! All I do is intimidate people and cause chaos! No one understands me!"

"…I do…" Both turned to see Niobe. For once during this trip, she was calm. Lovely was a bit shocked. Perhaps his appeal was more alike her life than she thought. She gulped, "J-Just promise me you won't run off…" Before he could reply, green flames encased her. Her form grew taller, her hideous features returning. Her Changeling self was revealed, and so was her sadness. She turned around, not wanting to see the young boy's face. However, she soon felt a small embrace on her leg. Niobe turned, seeing him hugging her leg. But it was short, he acting like he never did it.

Lovely only shook her head with a smile. "What is your name?" she asked.

"My name is Jun Lee…" he replied. "I do believe you caught word of me before you entered, correct?"

"The 'Savage' hardly seems correct."

He sighed, "If only that were true. They call be that because no matter what I do, I always wreck or break things. And my fighting style…" He turned away to not say more. "They always asked to die" he muttered.

Lovely and Niobe both looked slightly disturbed by what he muttered. Though, something hit Lovely's memory. "You know, there were two humans that resembled you a bit in the village" she spoke. "They were the first ones to tell us about you…"

"Stupid parents…" he muttered. The changeling gasped quietly, not believing what she had just heard.

"Either way, we do not think you're a monster. If you would like, you can tag along with us back to our base. We have many more members, all different, that you could become friends with."

"Friends? Whoever wants friends?" Niobe looked hurt from that comment. Lovely frowned, but she saw the hurt behind the boy's voice. Jun Lee looked at the two, sighing a bit. "Let me…get my things…" Lovely's smile returned as he went into the hut. The boy only came out with a small bag, holding what looked like spears, nothing else. "Well, this is the easy part, getting me on your side" Jun Lee spoke. "But the real question is how you will get me out of here."

Lovely nodded, "I have an idea…"

* * *

"T-This is not an idea L-Lovely…" Niobe spoke. She clung to her caretaker's leg, shaking like a leaf and back into her disguise. Lovely did not say anything, for she had a hand on Jun Lee's shoulder, guiding him through the town. Immediately when they entered, the other villages started to boo and taunt him. They started to throw things at Lovely and Niobe as well. The two humans they first met approached.

"You lied to us!" the man spoke, "You said that you would kill him, why is that freak still alive and walking beside you?!"

"Nice to see you too dad…" Jun Lee commented.

Jun Lee was slapped by his mother. "You are no longer our son you freak!" she shouted at him.

Lovely had enough and pushed through them. "I am taking your son away from here, isn't this what you always wanted?" she asked.

"No!" The village leader approached. "We want all freaks in this town to be dead! No freak should even be alive in this kingdom, but we must settle to cleanse this village free of freaks!"

Suddenly Lovely's hair lashed out at all angles. Some pushed the villagers aside, some decides to strangle others. Lovely grabbed the man's shirt and pulled him closer. "Then why don't you just kill me? That is, if you can." She threw him down, as well as the others she had in her grasp. She walked away, Niobe still clinging onto her leg. A strand of her hair pointed behind them, _Look behind you!_ Lovely turned and gasped, "Keep walking."

Jun Lee turned but his face went white. "…okay."

The villagers all saw their surprised looks, but took nothing into it. However, soon they heard the trees rustle. **"HELLO"** the voice spoke. All of the villagers turned around to see where that horrid voice was. They all regretted turning around. There stood one of the scariest demons they have ever seen. The villagers have only killed the smaller freaks; never before have they seen one so large. It had the body of a deer, with large moth wings, no antlers, and its eyes in what looked like claws. The claws came from its eye sockets, which had a bit of blood dripping out.**"SO YOU ARE THE ONES, WHO KILLED ****OUR****PARENTS."** As he came closer, the human looked more and more frightened. They tried to escape the village, but soon the entrance was blocked off by tree roots. Lovely and the other two were already out. **"I'M GOING TO HAVE FUN…MAKING ****YOU****INTO DEMONS!"**

As the trio left, they could only hear screams, bone snaps, and horrid cracking. Jun Lee turned his head slightly, but his head was gently turned back to the front. "Don't look back" Lovely spoke. "They need no pity." Despite the nod, Jun Lee still had a grim look on his face. A few of the humans looked out to him with anger, but one with worry.

Later, the three of them were soon clear out of sight from the village. Jun Lee swore he could still see the villagers being transformed. Niobe was back to her changeling self, Lovely beside her. "Hey" he spoke up. Both of them turned. "I…just wanted to say…thank you."

Lovely gave him a small smile. "It's what we do" she pats her back, "Help the others that have been wronged."

He gulped, "H-How many exactly are at this "base" of yours?"

"A good bit I would say. I wouldn't say a hundred, but still a lot."

He gulped, twiddling his thumbs a bit. "S-So…is that o-offer still available?"  
Lovely nodded, "Indeed it is. Welcome to the team Jun Lee."

**JUN LEE 085**


	32. Tar

The Petrified Forest is known as one of the many mysterious areas of Hidden Kingdom. This strange forest lied just south of the famous Tar Pits. Legend held that the forest is the final resting place of a dangerous monster. The young new leader was walking into the forest now, to see if the legends are true. Liliac has been exploring the different unknown areas, hoping to learn something of YX's explanation and hopefully something about her. She wanted nothing more than to gain the full trust of every member in the new Big Green, and being an outcast among the others was affecting that.

The Petrified Forest lived up to its title. Many of the trees were cast in stone, if not most in strange glob-shaped stone bits. It was a flood washed through the forest, and was turned to stone in a flash. Liliac never unsheathed her weapon; there was no real reason to. The forest was void of all life; the animals never bothered to enter the forest. It was almost like there was something driving them away. But that did not stop the young new leader. There was another legend, saying that deep in the forest there was an old temple. Not much is known of the temple, but it wouldn't be that way for long.

Liliac trudged on ahead, taking in what was around her. All of the trees were cascaded in stone, and life very well was void. Even the air itself had this stale taste that showed that absolutely nothing could ever live in this forest. The atmosphere was starting to get to thin. "What…happened here?" she asked to no one in particular. She walked ahead on a small cliff, but even the ground was dead. The ground under her feet cracked, and she fell with it. Liliac tumbled down the cliff side and landed roughly at the bottom. The gray haired girl rubbed her back, and just about the other places that hurt. "Ow…man…" she grunted, "That hurt. Now where…am…I…?"

Her voice drifted off as she looked up. The scenery has almost completely changed. Not many trees grew down here, and pieces of rubble were scattered around the landscape, bit something else took its place. What was in front of her could only be described as a hideous monster that was turned to stone. Claws, tendrils, teeth; the most hideous things you can imagine on a monster were present. A few puddles of black tar were also seen scattered amongst the mess. Despite the air of danger that surrounded it, Liliac got up and entered. She maneuvered through the mess of stone and tar, watching over each side of her being. She stepped over a puddle of tar, but unknown to her it started to follow.  
Branches of the stoned monster seemed to crack. One end had a bit of tar dripping out. The human slowly approached, but then as it suddenly a small set of claws came out and tried to grab her. Liliac stepped back in surprise, but then tripped over a rock. She fell into a ditch, "Ow! Again? Really?!" She was about to get up, but she saw a large glob of tar. It moved to her, in which she reached to grab her weapon. Liliac backed up as the tar moved closer. The suspense of the area was getting to her as she feared the worst for this thing. The glob rippled, and the human looked away in fear of what was about to happen next.

What came next, however, forced her eyes open. All she heard was a small little sound, something a baby animal would make when it was first born. Liliac looked to the blob, only to see it blink back at her. She fell on her back in surprise, but the creature only blinked some more. It slowly moved closer to her, tilting its head in curiosity. Liliac gave back an equal stare of curiosity mixed with confusion. The creature suddenly moved back, making a small sound of fear and sadness. Its eyes were locked onto her weapon. The human set it aside, showing she meant no harm. The tar blob instantly returned to its normal pace and approached her. The young leader was still weary of it, so she picked up a rock that was nearby for defense. The reaction however, was much different.

Instead of hiding again, the tar monster seemed excited. The small horn that it used for a tail wagged, almost like Long John when he's excited. Its eyes were fixed on the rock she grabbed. Confused, Liliac lowered her hand, and gently tossed the rock to the monster. It jumped and engulfed the rock whole, making what sounded like chewing sounds as its body moved. It made happy sounds after it swallowed the rock. Liliac was now able to get a better look at it. Its head had three blue eyes; two on one side and one on the other. It had a pair of horns too, but like his eyes, he had two on one and one on the other, just reversed. The monster had a few small spines jutting out of its neck, and a spike in place for a tail.

The creature approached Liliac's boot and rubbed up against it, almost like how a cat would. She gently pet its head, but she couldn't remove her hand. The human pulled back, but still nothing. Then, her hand started to sink into him. In fear she threw her hand out, taking the creature with it. Her glove flew off with the tar blob flying straight into a piece of the ruins. Her gloves sunk into its body and disappeared. "Okay…" she spoke, "I shouldn't do that again…" The little creature whined as it looked to Liliac. "Oh don't cry little guy…" she spoke, her eyes darted to the sides. "I'll…" her face lit up as she walked over. She picked up a pot, a rather decently sized pot. The human placed it before the creature, who quickly darted into it. After it was filled, the little tar blob poked his head out with a cheerful mew. Liliac smiled at it, "You're so adorable…but, what are you?"

* * *

Back at Big Green, Kawkee was still hard at work on his energy source situation. He was aided by Cyber this time. They were at work with chemicals. "Mixing batches S and T now…" spoke the alien as he progressed. The moment the two chemicals mixed, they exploded. Kawkee coughed before shaking off the black soot. "Stardust! Another failed pair!" He sighed as he grabbed a rag and began to clean the mess off of the tables. Cyber started on the scorch marks on the floor. Someone knocked on his door, "Come in…"

Liliac walked inside, holding the pot behind her to obstruct it from view. "Hey Kawkee, you can make anything right?" she asked.

"That depends…" he spoke while cleaning, "What is it that you want?"

She placed the pot on a table. "I was wondering if you could make a pair of gloves or clothes than can slip off of any surface."

"Interesting request, what exactly is it for?"

Before she could reply, a loud siren went off. It startled both Kawkee and Liliac. The source of the noise was Cyber, who by Liliac's view, was going insane. "UNKNOWN LIFEFORM DETECED! UNKNOWN LIFEFORM DETECTED! INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT!" His eye suddenly scanned the room, and much to her fear, it hit to pot. He suddenly extended out into his battle form, "INTRUDER FOUND!" His wheels burned rubber as he charged to the pot. Liliac pulled out her staff and swung it, knocking Cyber over. The robot quickly got up, "INSUBORDINATION!" His cannon arm aimed to her and sprayed a steady stream of flames. Liliac ducked and jumped behind a lab table stacked with several beakers and flasks. Cyber followed her with the flame cannon still spewing.

Kawkee panicked, "CYBER NO! ALL OF THOSE CHEMICALS ARE-!" A chain reaction of colorful explosions followed his shout. Once it cleared, both Kawkee and Cyber was both singed and splattered with a wide variety of colored chemicals. "Highly…combustible…" Kawkee coughed a ring of smoke before falling over.

Liliac peeked out, perfectly fine. Her vision strayed over to the pot, but much to her shock is was in pieces. "No!" she shouts in horror. Quickly darting around the newly created debris, she had to see it with her own eyes to make sure. "No! He's gone!"  
"Who's gone?" Liliac looked up to see Lovely. However her attention was driven more onto the black thing she was holding, the little monster.

"Asphalt!" She ran to him as he jumped into Liliac's arms. "You're okay!" They both nuzzled each other, but soon they were stuck together. Lovely shook her head, gently helping the two separate. Cyber calmed down enough to let them with the "unknown lifeform" for a short bit. "I found him all alone" Liliac explained, "He seemed really friendly, so I brought him here. Maybe you can help me figure out what he is exactly."

Cyber and Kawkee pulled out devices to scan him. Asphalt simply blinked in their direction. Lovely, however, took one look at the creature. "Liliac, where exactly did you find him?" she asked.

"I found him in this strange forest" she replied. "It had these weird stone formations that covered the trees. This black stuff was seeping out of some of the cracks."  
The description of that sent chills down her spine. Before Lovely could respond, Kawkee beat her. "Amazing! This creature's chemical composition seems to be exactly the same as common Earth tar!"

"So…he's a tar monster?" asked Liliac.

"Yes, but that is what's so strange about it…" Kawkee pulled out another device, "I am not seeing any bone structure, organ systems, I'm not even getting steady brain waves; how can this thing even be alive, let alone think?" Asphalt sneered a bit in the alien's direction. "Is it even intelligent?" The tar creature hissed in anger at Kawkee, causing him to snap back.

"I believe that answers your question" Lovely told him, earning a giggle from Liliac. However the girl's attention was brought to Lovely now. "Liliac" she started, "Tar creatures are very unpredictable. They can easily absorb anything living or non living into their bodies. If you're not careful, this thing could actually swallow you whole."

She looked down to her newly named creature. Asphalt was rubbing his head against her shirt. But, even though it was sticking slightly, he could still do. "Lovely, I know you're trying to look out for me" she spoke up, "But this little guy is not trying to eat me. I think he would have tried when I found him." Asphalt looked to her, "But I trust Asphalt, and I think he deserves a chance." The little tar blot stretched his neck up and gently rubbed her cheek. He only stuck a little and was still able to get off. Lovely let out a sigh but a smile still formed on her face.

"I will get to work on those non-adhesive gloves" Kawkee spoke, "In the meantime; maybe you should take him back with your place."

The young leader gave a nod to him as she placed Asphalt into a bowl to carry. Liliac walked off with her new friend. Maya, without anyone knowing, was watching the entire scene from above. She gave a sigh, "If only she would give me a chance." And without a single trace, she flew out of the room.


	33. Do Re Mi Re Do

Liliac was once again making her rounds, exploring other areas of Hidden Kingdom. Today, however, she was joined by her sister Pink Spec and Richter. Spec was understood to come, but Richter, she did not. The human did not mind him, but she did not exactly like him either. They came across the Pondlands, a area of Hidden Kingdom speckled with many lakes and shallow ponds. Richter came up, "Darn it, now I have to walk."

"Why?" asked Liliac. "Can't you just go underneath the water?"

"You don't know anything do ya kid?" he was punched by the cheetah, who gave him a very distasteful look. He groaned, "The ground is too soft to dig through. It would be like trying to dig through mud. Plus, if I do get solid ground and dig low enough, the water to the ponds might leak through to the tunnels; draining the water from the pond and filling the tunnel. And I rather not smell wet fur today."

Liliac shrugged, understanding even though she did not fully. She took one step, and again, she was stopped by Richter. "What now?" she asked with a sigh mixed into her tone.

"See that castle?" the groundhog asked pointing over the horizon. Liliac held her hand above her eyes, shielding them from extra light. It was there that she saw a faint outline of a castle. "That's Frog Castle. And trust me, what they do ta you guys won't be pretty."

Spec rolled her eyes, "It can't be that bad…"

"Oh ya? Well, how would you like to be tied down, no way to escape, and to force you into…listen to them sing?!" Both Spec and Liliac nearly fell over from the unclimatic conclusion. "What?! Their singing is horrible! It's like thousands of needles getting jammed into the deepest most sensitive parts of your ears! Just thinking about it gets me…AH! I HEAR IT NOW!" He began to burrow beneath himself as if his life depended on it.

"Wait, I hear something too…" Pink spoke. Liliac and her sister listened in, hearing a tune. It did not sound bad at all, it sounded pretty good. A few brightly colored music notes floated by them. Exchanging a similar glance, the two walked in that direction. Richter popped up, instantly jumping out and running to not get left behind.  
The music was getting louder as they got closer. The individual instruments were starting to be heard; a flute, drum, guitar, and something that sounded like singing. A clearing was up ahead, a small enclosed pond surrounded by trees with several large lily pads in the center. On each of those lily pads was the source of the music. There was one giraffe, one panda, one frog, and one human. The animals did not have much altering features, but the human did. His short red hair seemed messy, but wild would be the better word for it. He wore a robe that bore a variety of colors, however they mainly concerned of red and orange, they did show a variety of shades. He currently had his back turned, but he was the one playing the guitar.

The human stopped, signaling the others to stop as well. "Good job everyone" he spoke with joy. "Sid, Darla, wonderful job on your instruments." The panda and giraffe bowed at that. "Kermit, you did good too, but try to get deeper notes next time." The frog frowned at the nickname, but let it pass. The three animals all shared the same look when their eyes saw the crowd behind their leader. The human was confused, "What's wrong guys?" He slowly turned, but the surprise of someone there was enough to spook him. He was startled enough to fall back into the water.

"Nice going" Richter commented to the two girls.

Once again, he was punched by Pink. Liliac extended a hand to the boy, who grabbed it and hiked himself up. "Sorry we frightened you" Liliac apologized with a bow. "We heard the music and we just followed."

The boy was squeezing the water out of his clothing. It was at this time that Liliac noticed the boy's most outstanding feature, his eyes. While they were multicolored, it seems like they were different in each eye. "It's okay" he replied, "I did not expect anyone to be out here."

"Neither did we." The gray haired girl smiled, "My name is Liliac. The two with me are Pink Spec and Richter."

Pink waved, "Hey Darla, hey Sid." The two other animals waved. The frog waved, but the cheetah looked angry, "Oh, hi Hermit."

"Pink, do you know these animals?"

Her sister nodded, "Yep, these are the princes and princess of their kingdoms. Darla is the daughter of Panda King, Sid is the son of Giraffe King, and Hermit is the son of Frog King." At the mentioning of each of their names and titles they bowed. Liliac made a smile, seeing how cute the first two were. She was not fond of the frog at the moment. Richter waved the trio of royalty, however his greetings were replied with grunts, glares, or just ignorance.

The two teams started to chat a bit. It only took to mention the boy's name that got the leader excited, "You're Punk Rattler?! As in Rattle Diva?! The most amazing musician in all of Hidden Kingdom?!"

Pink leaned to her fellow animal royalties, "She's a really big fan of music. Sometimes she can get a little…" Her claw moved around, giving the universal sign for "crazy."  
Back to Punk, he only shrugged. Liliac was shocked and almost grabbed him, but she was pulled back. Darla and Sid looked a bit uncomfortable. "Listen, Liliac" Sid started, "Punk never knew his mother. He's never met her; we haven't met her. But we did hear about her from our parents." Darla nodded with a smile as her friend continued. "We're not sure if she's still alive or not…"

The young leader got the impression. She nodded in understanding. They were lucky that Punk was not like Liliac. Before her first incident, she would have killed to know if her father was alive or not. She didn't want Punk to experience the same. They talked a bit more, but Hermit stood and hopped to another pad. The others of his team took notice. Their friend turned and ribbit once. Punk seemed to understand him, "Frogs! Their coming near! We can't let them see us!"

The groups nodded just before rushing into the thicker swam area. Sid and Darla were having a hard time maneuvering. The giraffe spoke up, "Punk, the frogs check out every inch of this pondland, even the swamps."

Darla sighed quickly to the boy. Punk smiled, "Yeah Darla, that is a great idea! We can go to Pandaffe Castle!"

"What's a Pandaffe?" Immediately, Liliac was given the most awkward of looks. It was like she said the most idiotic thing possible. She grew worried, a bead of sweat ran down her brow, "What?"

"Pandaffe Castle is the castle where the Pandas and the Giraffes go" Richter said. "And you're supposed to lead?" He was once again, smacked over the head by the cheetah. "Ow! And don't worry 'bout it, I made a tunnel before we even got here. We can use that." He muttered, "If it isn't filled with mud right now…"

"What was that?" asked Pink.

"Oh! Uh, forgeta 'bout it!" As they made it to the edge of the pondlands, Richter uncovered the hole he made about an hour ago. The others quickly went down into it. His statement was true, for the hole was starting to fill with mud. As the frogs arrived, it looked like the natural terrain.

A few minutes later and lots of miles away, the team surfaced. Pink Spec climbed out first, her tongue out of her mouth, "Did you have to dig through EVERY mud puddle in Hidden Kingdom?!"

The others climbed out, and strangely enough Richter was last. "Hey" he spoke, "You wanted to go through my tunnel." Everyone was either wringing out or wiping off the mud. The Groundhog Prince simply shook off the mud. One thing that did make approaching the castle easier was that ever since the takeover, animal rulers did not have much need for scouts. So entering a castle was much easier. They tried to talk with Punk on Big Green, but since he was much younger than Liliac and the others, he didn't exactly care. When they got to the door, Sid and Darla were big enough to cover the others, and Punk was allowed in because of family matters. The doors opened and the others followed. Richter held his staff close, not feeling right. "Something seems off" he spoke.

"Oh relax…" Pink spoke. "Just because you've never been in another animal castle before doesn't mean that our worst enemy is inside."

Punk stopped, causing the others to bump into him. They all looked at him, but only Darla and Sid saw what he saw. They bore expressions of fear, while Punk bore an expression of joy, "Uncle High Roller!"

Pink stopped, "I've been wrong before."

Before anything else went down, Hermit hop tackled the trio of heroes into a separate corridor. Before he could say anything, the Frog Prince covered Richter's mouth so no rude comments could be made. The team looks back at the scene. Liliac had to hold back as much as she could to not run out and blow her cover. There he was, High Roller, the one human responsible for imprisoning her father; probably also responsible for cutting his arms off. His appearance did not change much over the years. He still wore the usual blue cloak and accessories that made him look like a jester. However High Roller seemed a bit more evil looking, if that was even possible for a human like him. It was just something about his expressions that scared them. She clenched her rod, the blades on each end coming out. Pink saw this, and was worried. Aside from eagles, High Roller was one of the things her sister hated most of all. She rested a paw on her shoulder. The simple gesture was enough for Liliac to calm down.

Punk looked back to find his new friends gone. However he assumed they were playing Hide and Seek, so he just went back to what he was doing. High Roller ruffled Punk's hair when he got close, "How are you kid?"

"I'm fine!" he answered happily. "What are you doing here Uncle?"

"Just checking up on Panda and Giraffe King is all." He sees the prince and princess, "I see you're having fun with those two." The two animals waved before he ruffled the kid's hair again. "Well, I'm just about done here."

"Aw…" Punk whined, "You're leaving already?"

"Sorry, but I have other places to be. But I'll tell you what." He leans down slightly, "Next time you're near East Citadel, you can come over and eat all the candy you want."

"Yay!" Punk hugged him, "Thanks Uncle High Roller!" Giraffe King and Panda King bowed to High Roller before he left through the main gates. The two kings left, allowing the others to show themselves. Punk had a smile, but Richter stomped over.

"Okay you snot nosed brat" he spoke, "You have five seconds to explain what the heck just happened here before I-" His mouth was covered by Hermit. He croaked to him, but only the animals really understood him. Richter nods, and as Hermit took his hand off, the Groundhog came by and patted Punk's head. The human smiled.

"So…" Liliac finally spoke up, "Uh Punk, would you like to join Big Green? There are lots of more animals to play with."

Punk looked to his new friend. These three looked fun, but he needed to test them. One looked between his band members, and they had the same idea. "We'll join, if you can beat our challenge."

"Challenge? Ha!" Richter proclaimed, "Whatever it is bring it on!" However, a few minutes later, he pouted, "Seriously?" He was holding a guitar. Liliac had a flute and Pink had drums. "Why couldn't I have gotten the drums?"

"Because you were too edger and wanted to go before anyone else" Pink spoke. "Besides, I like the drums."

The band across began to play. "The rules are simple" Punk explained, "Each of us will play a rhythm with our instruments. You guys copy it. If you do good, we'll join."

"We're doomed" Richter commented.

"Ready…? GO!" All three band members played their instruments at once. This startled the Big Green team as they rushed into it. The music clashing was horrible; one side played good while the other played horribly. Despite the awful music, Punk and his band kept playing. As time went on and as they went solo, Liliac and her team were getting better. They were not as good as the other band, but Punk's main thing was on having fun. If he has learned anything, it's that if you do not have fun, then it's not worth it. In the end, Big Green had four new members.

**PUNK RATTLER 076  
SID THE GIRAFFE PRINCE 005  
DARLA THE PANDA PRINCESS 030  
HERMIT THE FROG PRINCE 047**


End file.
